If your ophthalmologist has prescribed an ointment for you to use to treat your eye disease, then these tips will help you use it safely.
Tip: Wash and Dry Your Hands
Before you touch your eye or the outside of your ointment's tube, first wash your hands with hot soapy water and then dry them completely with a clean towel. Use a fabric towel, because paper towels will leave cellulose fiber lint on your hands that can get in your eyes.
Tip: Take Out Your Contact Lenses
You cannot put any medicated ointment in your eyes if you are wearing contact lenses because it will get stuck under them and cloud your vision. If you wear contacts, then remove them before using your eye ointment.
Tip: Use the Proper Technique Handling the Ointment's Tube
It is important your ointment's tube doesn't become contaminated with bacteria from your hands or the bathroom counter. To avoid this fate, you need to handle the tube in a very special way. Open the tube using one hand on the tube and one hand on the top. Once the top has been removed, make sure you never touch it with your fingers, your eyes, or the counter. As soon as your ointment has been placed in your eyes, then replace the top carefully, avoiding touching it with your hands or to the application portion of the tube.
Tip: Use the Right Technique to Apply the Ointment to Your Eyes
While you might be tempted to put a bead of ointment on your finger and then put that on your eye, this is not the technique you should use. This technique introduces bacteria into your eyes from your finger. It is also a good way to scratch your eyeball.
Instead, you should pull out your lower eyelid a bit, look upward, and then gently squeeze the appropriate amount of medication into your lower lid. Once the medication is in your eyes, then close them. With your eyes closed, move them around for a few minutes to ensure the ointment covers your entire eyes.
Tip: Never Use More than One Eye Ointment at a Time
Finally, if your doctor prescribed more than one eye ointment for your eye disease, then you must apply them one at a time. Put one ointment in your eyes and then wait a few minutes before you use the second one. This technique will prevent the ointments from mixing together and will ensure you get the most out of each medication.
For more information, contact your preferred ophthalmology clinic.
