Understanding Eye Drops & Eye Ointment
What is it? Eye drops and eye ointment are medications applied directly to the eye to treat various conditions such as infections, inflammation, allergies, or dryness. Proper administration is essential for the medication to work effectively.
Common Types
- Eyes Drops: Liquid medication delivered in drop form
- Eye Ointment: Thicker, gel-like medication applied along the lower eyelid
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Wash your hands
- Clean your child's eyes
- Use a different area of a washcloth for each eye, wipe from the nose outward.
- For crusted material: wet washcloth with warm water, place over eye for 1 minute, then gently wipe
- Use separate cloths for each eye
- Position your child
- Lay child on back with head tilted back (pillow under shoulders or towel under neck)
- Tip: If child won't stay still, place them on their back, head between your legs, and arms under your legs
- Give eye drops
- Warm refrigerated drops by rubbing bottle between the palms.
- Shake the bottle if the label instructs you to
- Tell your child to look up and to the side
- Rest your wrist on the child’s forehead for stability
- Hold dropper within 1 inch of each eye, drop medicine in lower eyelid away from inner corner
- Give eye ointment
- Tell your child to look up and to the side.
- Rest your wrist on the child’s forehead, gently pull down skin below eye
- Bring the tube close (within 1 inch) of the eye.
- Apply a thin line along the lower eyelid, rotate the tube at outer edge to detach
- Finish Up:
- Have your child close or blink eyes for a minute
- Wipe excess with a clean tissue
- Clean dropper/tube tip, replace cap immediately
- Wash your hands and note the time given
Important Tips
Never touch dropper/tube tip to eye or any surfaces
Store properly: follow label instruction for refrigeration
Separate medications: If using multiple eye medications, wait 5 minutes between each
When to Contact Poppins
📱 Contact us again when:
- You have questions about proper technique
- You're having difficulty giving the medication
Need help? Reach out to your Poppins care team!
