This document provides instructions for instilling eye drops and applying eye ointment. It defines eye drop instillation as dispensing sterile ophthalmic medication into a patient's eye. Eye drops are used to treat various eye disorders, anesthetize the eye for treatments or exams, and diagnose or treat conditions like glaucoma and infections. Safety procedures include hand hygiene, verifying patient identity, checking for allergies, and administering medications quietly without interruptions. Nurses should identify the patient, check the physician's directives, wash hands, clean the eyelids, tilt the head back, administer the correct number of drops, have the patient close their eyes slowly and move them to distribute the medication.

1. INSTILLATION OF EYE
DROPS &
EYE OINTMENT

2. Definition
 Eye drop instillation is the dispensation of a
sterile ophthalmic medication into a patient’s
eye.

3. Purposes
 To treat a number of eye disorders
 To anesthetize an eye before treatment.
 During a routine eye examination
 During treatment for ocular disease.
 Diagnose ocular disease
 Treat glaucoma, uveitis, allergic reactions and
infections.
 Dilatory eye drops may be instilled during an
examination to achieve a better view of the retina.

4. Indications
 Eye examination and treatment of
disease.
Contraindications
 Allergies to the medications.

5. Charting
 Record time on which the medication was
instilled.
 Type, strength and amount (dosage) of the
medication
 The eye onto which the medication was
instilled.

6. Equipment
 Sterile solution of medication
 Small gauze squares or cotton balls
 Gloves

7. Safety considerations
 Perform hand hygiene.
 Check room for additional precautions.
 Introduce yourself to patient.
 Confirm patient ID using two patient identifiers (e.g., name
and date of birth).
 Check allergy band for any allergies.
 Complete necessary focused assessments and/or vital signs,
and document
 Provide patient education as necessary.
 Plan medication administration to avoid disruption:
 Dispense medication in a quiet area.
 Avoid conversation with others.
 Follow agency’s no-interruption zone policy.
 Prepare medications for ONE patient at a time.

8. Nursing Interventions & Rationale
 The following are the nursing interventions
and rationale for instilling eye drops.

9. Nursing Interventions
 Check the patient’s
name
 Check physician’s
directives.
 Wash hands prior to
instilling medication.
 Cleanse the eyelids
and lashes with cotton
balls or gauze pledgets
moistened with normal
saline.
Rationale
 For proper patient
identification.
 To avoid medication
error.
 To prevent transfer of
microorganisms to the
patient.
 Prevent debris to be
carried into the eye
when the conjunctival
sac is exposed.

10.  Use each cotton ball or
pledget for only one stroke,
moving from the inner to
the outer canthus of the
eye.
 Tilt the patient’s head back
slightly if he is sitting or
place the head over
a pillow if he is lying
down.
 Fill eye dropper with
medication but prevent
from flowing back into the
bulb end.
 Prevents carrying of debris
to the lacrimal duct.
 To prevent solution or tear
from flowing towards the
other eye.
 Loose particles of rubber
from bulb end may slip into
medication

11.  Using forefinger, pull lower
lid down gently.
 Instruct patient to look
upward.
 Hold the dropper close to
the eye but avoid touching
the eyelids.
 Allow the prescribed
number of drops to fall in
the lower conjunctival sac
but do not allow to fall onto
the cornea.
 To expose inner surface of
lid and cul-de-sac.
 Prevent medication from
sensitive cornea.
 Touching the eyelids may
startle the patient and
cause him to blink.
 It cases unpleasant
sensation to the patient or
may injure the cornea.

12.  Release the lower lid
after the drops are
instilled. Instruct the
patient to close eyes
slowly, move the eye
and not to squeeze or
rub.
 Wipe off excess solution
with gauze or cotton
balls.
 Wash hands after
instilling the medication.
 Squeezing or rubbing
may irritate the eye
tissue or would express
the medication from the
eye. Closing and
moving the eye allow
medicines to be
distributed over the eye.
 Prevents possible skin
irritation.
 Prevents transfer of
microorganisms to self
or to other patients.

13.  Eye ointment: Apply about 1.5 cm of
ointment along conjunctival sac,
moving from inner to outer canthus.

14. THANK YOU