Medicines in the form of ointments are eye ointments. These medicines are used when there is a need to work directly into the eye for relieving or treating your eye conditions. Eye ointments are commonly used for curing eye issues or conditions like eye infections or dry eyes such as conjunctivitis. All kinds of eye ointments are thicker than any eye drops, so the medicine must stay in your eyes for longer.
Need for Eye Ointment
There are many reasons that you may need to use eye ointments. The following are the reasons:
- 1. Eye infections
- 2. Long-term or acute eye problems
- 3. Soreness because you may have dry eye syndrome.
- 4. Inflammatory conditions
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Ointment for styes Eye Ointment
A bacterial infection including one or more small glands near your eyelashes is called styes. This is quite similar to pimples or boil and may also be painful. It is a red or painful lump near the eyelid and it is filled with pus.
Antibiotic ointment can be used for treating or curing Stye as it involves bacitracin, tobramycin, and erythromycin. Most commonly, this condition goes away without any particular treatment.
- 1. Antibiotic drops or creams including erythromycin, bacitracin, and tobramycin may be recommended by your doctor.
- 2. If the Stye is really painful or inflamed, your doctor may give you antibiotic tablets for severe conditions.
- 3. A Stye may be treated using antibiotic medicines such as dicloxacillin, cloxacillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin.
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Your doctor may recommend medicines or antibiotics as per the bacteria responsible for your eye infection. You should take antibiotics as per your doctor’s prescription for preventing bad impacts or illness and also the enhancements of antibiotic resistance.
Ointment for Dry Eyes
Before applying an eye ointment
There are some tips that you must consider before using an eye ointment that is the following:
- 1. More than one eye medicine – Use the drops first, then wait five minutes before using the eye ointment if you need to use both drops and ointment in the same eye. If you require two eye ointments, wait about 30 minutes before using the second one. This will give the initial eye ointment enough time to absorb.
- 2. Contact lenses – if you generally wear contact lenses, then you must avoid wearing them until you have completed the treatment duration because this ointment might damage the lenses.
- 3. Sticky eyes – When using eye ointment, your eyelids and eyelashes could become sticky. After applying the ointment, gently wipe both with a warm, wet washcloth (flannel) or compress to remove the stickiness. You can also use some baby shampoo that has been diluted with water to wash away any dried ointment that may have been left on your lashes or lids.
- 4. Avoid contamination – Be careful not to touch any other surfaces, such as your fingers or eyes, with the ointment tube’s tip. Preserve the tube’s lid firmly closed when not in use to keep the ointment germ-free.
- 5. Blurry Vision – The ointment will cause blurry vision for 5 to 10 minutes after application. Until you can see well again, must not drive or operate any machinery.
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Application of an Eye Ointment
The use of eye ointments is not the simplest of all medical procedures. You must employ the proper strategy to reap the greatest benefits. This guarantees that the appropriate dosage of medication enters your eye. The following techniques can help you in applying eye ointment.
- 1. Do wash your hands with water and soap.
- 2. Open the ointment tube.
- 3. Tilt your head back, then use your knuckle and pull your eyelids downwards for forming a pocket.
- 4. Hold the ointment tube upside down and make sure you don’t touch the tip of the tube.
- 5. Then, use the ointment on your eyelid.
- 6. Close your eyes or blink your eyes for a few minutes as it will help in spreading the ointment into your eye.
- 7. You may not see clearly for a few minutes after applying and also try not to rub or touch your eyes.
- 8. If both of your eyes are affected then apply the ointment to both eyes.
- 9. Replace the cap of the ointment and wash your hands again to avoid any infection.
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Applying eye Ointment to Children and Babies
Using eye ointment in children and babies may be very tricky for you or you may need the help of another person while using the eye ointment. You must adopt the following steps:
- 1. Assure your child that while it might feel a little uneasy, it won’t hurt. The ointment may initially sting, but this subsides rapidly.
- 2. Clean or wash your hands with water and soap.
- 3. Make sure your child is lying down. After that, remove the cap of the ointment.
- 4. Older children – Squeeze the tube to apply a thin line of ointment in the pocket by gently lowering the bottom eyelid to form a pocket.
- 5. Small babies – With the eye open if possible, apply the cream to the inner corner of the eye.
- 6. Make sure that the tip of the ointment tube does not touch the eyelids.
- 7. Ask your child to blink as it will help in spreading the ointment into your child’s eye.
- 8. Your child’s vision may get blurry after applying the ointment for a few minutes.
- 9. At last, replace the cap and wash your hands again.
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Storing Your Eye Ointment
- 1. If the ointment is packed or not opened, then it is free from germs.
- 2. When the ointment tube has been opened, keep it closed, out of the reach of children, and in a cold, dark area.
- 3. Mostly eye ointments expire after four weeks of opening. You must not keep it for longer than the expiry date.
- 4. To help you remember when to dispose of the tube, mark the label with the date that the tube was first opened.
- 5. Return any unused eye ointment to your pharmacist so they can properly dispose of it.
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Precautions before Taking an Eye Ointment
- 1. Don’t allow anyone to use your ointment.
- 2. Don’t even use other’s ointments.
- 3. If you feel worse after applying an eye ointment, then you must tell your doctor.
- 4. Some eye ointments may irritate or sting for a while and they may be allergic to you.
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Conclusion
Eye ointment is used for treating different eye conditions like eye infections, dry eyes, etc. The eye ointments are thicker than eye drops so that they can stay in your eye for longer. The use of eye ointment may cause eye irritation for a few minutes but if you see any other problems you must consult your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ointment is good for an eye?
Combination antibiotics like Neosporin are good ointments for the eyes.
Is ointment better than eye drops?
Yes, eye ointment is more effective than eye drops.
Is there an over-the-counter antibiotic eye ointment?
Yes, OTC ointments like Polysporin and Neosporin are eye ointments.
Why is eye ointment used at night?
Majorly, eye ointments are used at night as it gives longer relief to your eyes.
What is the best antibiotic for eye infection?
Azithromycin or doxycycline are oral antibiotics that are good for eye infections.
Are eye ointments safe?
Yes, eye ointments are safe but they might sting your vision blurry.
Can ointment make dry eye worse?
Yes, it can make dry eyes worse as eye ointments are thicker which may create tear-related problems and lead to worse dry eyes.
Can you use eye ointment every night?
Yes, you can use this once or twice a day as per the doctor’s prescription.