Eye Drops

Modern medicine and modern technology are responsible for many innovations most people take for granted. For instance, not many years ago, eye conditions such as dry eye, conjunctivitis and other eye diseases were not able to be treated easily. Today, simply using eye drops is often all a patient needs to do in order to deliver medicine directly to the eyes. What are eye drops used for today? How can they improve your life? Eye drops come in many different forms today, from simple saline solutions to medicated drops and everything in between. Prescription eye drops are used to fight a wide range of medical conditions, as well.

Eye drops come in some very simple forms. The simplest are merely saline solutions, used to help relieve discomfort in the eye caused by dryness or irritants. Some of these eye drops do contain chemicals, designed to fight redness and discomfort within the eye, while others are simply designed as a lubricant. As a note, some lubricating eye drops, such as those for severe dry eye and tear replacement can cause dependency. Many optometrists refrain from prescribing these eye drops because, once a patient begins using them, their natural faculty to produce tears begins to deteriorate, eventually leading to total dependence on the eye drop for lubrication and cleaning of the optical orbit.

Eye drops are also used to administer medication. These can be as simple as antihistamines, designed to help fight allergic reactions to allergens in the air, such as pollen and animal dander, to more complex solutions containing antibiotics or antiviral medicines for the treatment of eye diseases. Beta-receptor blockers, steroids, non-steroidal drugs and sympathomimetics are commonly placed within a saline solution for easier delivery to the affected eye. Some eye drops even cause side effects, such as sensitivity to light.

Most eye drops are available as over-the-counter (OTC) medication, though prescription medication will require a visit to your doctor or optometrist. Of those available without a prescription, the majority are designed for lubrication, cleansing (such as cleaning and lubricating contact lenses) or for fighting allergy symptoms such as red, bleary eyes. Prior to using any type of eye drops, it is important to research the possible side effects of use, including dependence for lubrication. The Internet is an excellent tool to use for this research, putting you in touch with a wide range of viable information sources and expert websites.