Glaucoma laser clinic – how to use your eye drops after treatment

Glaucoma service

Following your laser procedure, it is normal to feel pressure at the back of your head or foryour vision to be slightly blurry. This will slowly get better in the next few hours.

You shouldn’t feel pain, but if you do, please do not hesitate to contact one of the nurses in the laser clinic. You can do this via the main switchboard on 020 7253 3411 ext: 4441 or by calling Moorfields Direct (see bottom of leaflet for contact details). Out of hours, please contact our A&E department .

After your laser treatment, you will need to use drops for at least one week. This leaflet isdesigned to help you use your drops effectively.

If you already use eye drops for your usual ophthalmic treatment (for example, glaucoma or dry eyes), please continue to use them in addition to the drops below. The nurse practitioner will explain how to space the drops apart and will check the drops below according to your prescription.

Medication / eye drops:

□   Prednisolone 1% (PredForte)

□   Prednisolone 0.5% (Predsol)

□   Dexamethasone 0.1% (Maxidex)

□   Ketorolac trometamol (Acular)

 

Instructions for daily use:

□   Every hour for 24 hours, then four times a day for one week

□   Four times a day for one week

□   Up to three times a day if in pain/discomfort

 

Date:

Nurse’s name: (print and sign)

 

 

Together with our patients, we have developed the popular ‘wrist-knuckle’ technique to help make putting in eye drops easier and safer. 

Please read the step by step guide below:

Wrist-knuckle technique

  1. Check the expiry date on your eye drop bottle, and shake if required.
  2. Wash your hands before opening the bottle.
  3. Lie down or sit down and tilt your head back.
  4. Make a fist with one hand and use your knuckles to pull your lower eyelid downwards. Place your other hand with the eye drop bottle onto your knuckles (see figure 1).
  5. Look up and squeeze one drop into your lower eyelid, making sure the nozzle does not touch your eye, eyelashes or eyelid.
  6. Close your eye and press gently on the inner corner of your eye for 30-60 seconds to ensure the drop is fully absorbed.

 

Woman inserting eye drops resting her wrist on the knuckles of there other hand.

Author: Miss R Puertas, consultant ophthalmologist, and C Phaw, ophthalmic nurse

Review date: April 2020