How Do Eye Drops Work?

How Do Eye Drops Work - Eye care is an important part of the health care routine. Eyes have an indispensable role in our daily lives, thereby magnifying the importance of eye care. Besides, eating a healthy diet and reducing screen time ophthalmic products have a key role in maintaining optimal eye care. A person shall have adequate eye health to be able to counter some ocular conditions like glaucoma and cataracts. One of the most commonly prescribed ophthalmic medicines is eye drops. Although eye drops are very commonly used, there is very little awareness on how they work and the right mechanism for their usage. In this blog compiled by Nayan Vision, you will learn How Do Eye Drops Work and what's the correct way to use them. 

Eye drops are usually prescribed for a wide range of eye disorders such as glaucoma, raised eye pressure, conjunctivitis, ocular inflammation, and dry eye disease. These can also be given after eye surgery, to prevent inflammation and inflammation. However, not many people use eye drops correctly, and end up doing more harm than good. Read this blog by Nayan Vision to learn How do Eye Drops Work and all the precautions you should be aware of during their usage. 

Role of Eye Drops in Maintaining Optimal Eye Health

Eye drops are most often the saline solution comprising various medications for the treatment of various eye disorders. Sometimes the eye drops do not contain any medication and are only used to lubricate the eyes or expel foreign bodies. Eye drops are applied to the external or exposed part of the eyes with an eye opener. There are different types of eye drops for different eye disorders: 

• Artificial eye drops, also known as lubricating eye drops
• Antihistamine eye drops to reduce the symptoms of eye allergies 
• Antibiotic eye drops for bacterial infections in the eye
• Glaucoma eye drops to reduce pressure in the eye
• Steroid eye drops to reduce inflammation in the eyes 
• Antiviral eye drops for infections caused by the virus 
• Anti-redness eye drops to reduce the appearance of redness in the eyes 

Eye drops are highly beneficial in lubricating eyes, promoting surface healing, and flushing out residual contaminating or injurious particles. The use of medicated eye drops also provides relief from allergies during the season. 

How do Eye Drops Work

The working mechanism of eye drops is fairly simple and easy to understand. Eye drops work by delivering the medication or lubrication directly onto the surface of the eyes or within the eyes. The mechanism of action is different for different eye drops. However, the basic work of action remains the same. All the eye drops are formulated to work in the following way:

1. Apply 1 - 2 drops in the eyes or as prescribed by your doctor. Now, the eye drops come into contact with the thin layer of eyes called the conjunctiva. 

1. After coming in contact with conjunctiva, the medications in the eye drop get absorbed into the underlying blood vessels. The absorption of the eye drops depends on the specific formulation and medication. 

1. After absorption, the medication enters the bloodstream, allowing it to get distributed in the body including the eyes. Some eye drops are formulated to work on the surface level while others penetrate deep into the tissues of the eyes. 

1. Some eye drops are manufactured to have a local effect on the eye. The eye drops can have anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti-allergic effects.

Systemic Effect - Some eye drops are formulated to affect not just the eyes but the whole body. The systemic effects of an eye drop can be commonly seen in the eye drops used to lower intraocular pressure in glaucoma. These medications work by absorbing into the bloodstream and thereby affect the other parts of the body. 

Safety Precautions While Using Eye Drops

Eye drops come in direct contact with the eyes and can have serious health repercussions if not used properly. Therefore, eye drops ought to be used with utmost safety and precautions. Follow the precautions given below to ensure that your eye drops do not get contaminated and work at their full efficiency. 

• Shake the container well before using the eye drops or before applying the eye drops. 
• Wash your hands to ensure that you do not contaminate the eye drops 
• After applying the eye drops, keep your eyes closed and apply pressure to the inner corner of the eyes. 
• Use another drop of medicine, in case it does not properly drop into the eyes. 
• Immediately wash your hands after using the eye drops to remove any medicine from the hand.
• Do not touch the dropper or the applicator tip on any surface (including the eyes). 
• Always keep the eye drops container tightly closed. 

Conclusion

Ophthalmic products, especially eye drops are very important to maintain optimal eye care health. However, it is equally important to be aware of how eye drops work and their role in keeping eye infections and disorders at bay. For further information, you can contact Nayan Vision and get more information on the same.