How to Treat Glaucoma With Eye Drops

Prescription eye drops are the most popular treatment method for people living with glaucoma. Eye drops are used to keep a healthy amount of pressure in your eyes and to relieve any symptoms that may cause you discomfort. It's important to meet with your doctor to discuss the best type of eye drops to treat your condition and to keep a few simple steps in mind when using them at home.

Things You'll Need

• Tissue or towel
• Timer or stopwatch

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Instructions

• 1

  Talk to your doctor about any other medications you are taking, including both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol and multivitamins. She will also ask you about any allergies you may have to certain types of medications to avoid any negative side effects related to the glaucoma eye drops she prescribes for you.

• 2

  Wash your hands thoroughly before applying the eye drops. It is also extremely important to make sure that the eye dropper remains clean and does not touch any portion of your eye. Good hygiene is necessary to ensure that your eye does not become infected.

• 3

  Sit down or lie down and tilt your head back before applying the eye drops. Gently pull down your lower eye lid with your index finger. Let the medicine drop onto your eye carefully, while keeping your eye as open as possible.

• 4

  Close your eyes carefully without squinting or holding them too tight. Push down on your eye lids gently with your thumb or index fingers for approximately 3 minutes to keep the drops in your eyes. Wipe any of the excess drops from the area surrounding your eyes by patting your face gently with a tissue or towel.

• 5

  Wait 5 minutes after applying each drop to your eye before applying the next one. Failing to wait after each drop may cause the drops to be washed out by the following drops before they have had time to settle and treat the eyes. Use a timer or stopwatch to keep track of the time you have allowed in between each drop to make sure that you do not become impatient or overestimate the amount of time that has passed.