MEDICAL MISTAKES

YOU could be taking medicines the wrong way. This week: Not closing your eyes after eye drops

THIS is the most common mistake people make with eye drops, says Professor Francesca Cordeiro, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Western Eye Hospital, London.

When inserting drops, pull down the lower eyelid to create a well and insert the drop into this area, rather than trying to drop it on the eyeball.

‘Close eyes — rather than blink — to help spread the drops,’ says Professor Cordeiro.

Press the inside corner of the eye for two minutes after each drop as this closes the tear duct and prevents the drop escaping down into the throat.

If you can taste your drops, they’ve hit the throat and you’ve lost most of the dose. This is particularly important for medicated drops. ‘Studies show up to 70 per cent of side-effects from glaucoma drops, such as dizziness and fatigue, can be prevented by pressing the corner of the eye, which prevents medication being absorbed by the rest of the body,’ adds Professor Cordeiro.