Medication Administration - Eye Drops Policy

Medication Administration - Eye Drops Policy 

Procedure: 

I. Preparation: 

• Wash hands thoroughly and wear gloves. 

• Ensure all necessary equipment is ready and within reach. 

II. Positioning: 

• Position the resident with their head tilted back. 

III. Administration: 

• If the bottle has a separate dropper, draw the required amount of solution into the dropper, holding it upright. If using a self-contained unit, invert the bottle. 

• Inspect and position the dropper over the eye for administration. 

• Use a tissue to gently pull down the lower eyelid with your index or middle finger. Instruct the resident to look upward. 

• Instill medication as follows: 

• Place your hand against the resident’s forehead to steady it. 

• Instill the required number of drops inside the lower eyelid, close to the outer corner of the eye. 

• Avoid instilling medication directly on the cornea and ensure the dropper does not touch the eye or eyelashes. 

• Release the lower eyelid and instruct the resident to close their eyes slowly to allow proper distribution of the drops over the eye surface. Advise the resident not to squeeze their eyelids shut to prevent medication from being forced out. 

IV. Aftercare: 

• Wipe off any excess solution with a tissue, wiping from the inner to the outer corner of the eye. 

• If administering eye drops to both eyes, use a separate tissue for each eye. 

• Recap the bottle and return the dropper to the bottle if appropriate. Use aseptic technique when handling the dropper. 

V. Special Considerations: 

• When two or more different eye solutions must be administered during the same pass time, allow a 5-minute interval between them. This ensures each drug has sufficient time to spread over the eye surface and be absorbed, preventing washout or dilution. 

References: 

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Requirements of Participation for Long-Term Care Facilities. 

• State Operations Manual (SOM), CMS.