Experts interviewed: Zhou Xia, former deputy chief physician of the Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, and doctor of ophthalmology of Central South University
Global Times health client reporter Xu Ying
On May 21, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the latest news on its official website that 81 patients from 18 states have been infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (a drug-resistant bacterial strain), of which 4 died and 14 were blind. Most of the patients were infected by the use of artificial tears, involving more than a dozen brands, with the most frequently mentioned being "EzriCare" artificial tears produced by Global Healthcare India Ltd., an over-the-counter product that does not contain preservatives. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested unopened EzriCare artificial tears to confirm that they had been contaminated with bacteria. At present, the company is recalling related products in large quantities.
Zhou Xia, former deputy chief physician of the Department of Ophthalmology of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and doctor of ophthalmology of Central South University, introduced in an interview with the "Global Times Health Client" reporter that artificial tears are a kind of eye drops, equivalent to a lubricant, most of which are over-the-counter drugs, if you have symptoms such as dry eyes and red itching after looking at mobile phones and computers for a long time, you can buy and use by yourself; However, if you find that the eyes have yellow or green discharge, pain or discomfort, foreign body sensation, photophobia, blurred vision, etc., you cannot buy medicine on your own, but should go to the hospital and take the medicine under the guidance of a doctor. Zhou Xia reminded that under normal circumstances, bacteria will not appear in eye drops, and everyone needs to pay attention to the use and storage methods to avoid falling into the following common misunderstandings.
Myth 1: Eye drops are used long after opening
Most eye drops have antiseptics added to inhibit bacterial growth, which can be used for up to a month after opening; Some eye drops do not have preservatives added and are generally used in small packages, which take up within 24 hours; Some eye drops also need to be stored in the refrigerator, refer to the instructions for details. After the expiration of eye drops, not only will the efficacy be reduced, but they will also be easily contaminated by bacteria, so it is best not to use them. Some people will judge whether the product can be used by color, flocculence, etc., but some eye drops are suspensions, so it is recommended to refer to the instructions.
Myth 2: Drop directly on the eyeball
The correct way to drop eye drops is: tilt your head back slightly, pull open the lower eyelid with your fingers, drop the liquid into the conjunctival sac of the lower eyelid, release the lower eyelid to reset, and then gently close your eyes to rest and let the liquid absorb. It cannot be applied directly to the black eyeball, because the location of the black eye is the cornea, and direct contact with eye drops may be irritated, and if accidentally scratched by the bottle mouth, it may also cause damage.
Myth 3: A lot of drops at once
The liquid capacity that the eyelids can maintain is about 0.02~0.03 ml, and the amount of one drop of eye drops is about 0.04~0.05 ml, so one drop at a time can be, and multiple drops cannot be absorbed, which will only cause waste.
Myth 4: Wearing contact lenses with eye drops
Some eye drops should not be used with contact lenses, otherwise the ingredients in them will adhere to the glasses and cause adverse effects. Therefore, check the manual before use to confirm whether this can be done.
Myth 5: Blink your eyes immediately after dripping
If you blink just after the eye drops, you may squeeze the potion out, reducing the amount of medicine that is really absorbed. And closing the eyes can prolong the stay time of eye drops in the eyes, so do not blink immediately after dripping, it is best to rest for 3~5 minutes before opening your eyes.
Myth 6: After dropping an eye drop, drop one immediately
There are also compatibility and contraindications between eye drops, just like cold medicine, so if you need to drop multiple eye drops, be sure to do it under the guidance of a doctor. The use of eye drops has a sequential order, after using one, it is necessary to drop another one at an interval of 5~10 minutes to give the eyes sufficient time to absorb.
Myth 7: The whole family shares a bottle of eye drops
Eye drops are personal items and should not be shared with others. On the one hand, everyone's situation is different, and if mixed, it may not be symptomatic, and it may also cause allergies; On the other hand, if the previous person uses it improperly and contaminates the mouth of the bottle, the next person may become infected when using it, so family members should not use eye drops on each other. ▲
Responsible editor: Deng Yu
Editor-in-chief: Zhang Tong