DROPS FOR DRY EYE

Dry eye is a condition where one finds that the eyeball feels, well, dry! You may feel constantly tired and wanting to close the eyes, a gritty feeling on the surface and perhaps even stinging. To help with surface moisture, there are various eye drops that can help to alleviate dry eye symptoms.

OPTIVE

Optive is a budget ocular lubricant option that is specially formulated to moisten the eyes. At Eyecare Network, we provide two Optive products, Optive eye drops and Optive Advanced eye drops.

What’s the difference between Optive and Optive Advanced?

Optive eye drops provide temporary relief of dry eye and the discomfort associated. Due to the lubrication nature of the eye drops, they prevent further protection against irritation. Optive Advanced eye drops provide temporary relief for burning, irritation and discomfort due to dry eyes. It is a more viscous formula that helps the eye to maintain a layer of moisture on the outer surface and to battle the symptoms of dry eye more proactively.

Both formulas have the Purite preservative at a concentration of 0.1mg. Preservatives are added to formulated eye drops to prevent the growth of bacteria and increase the duration of use. Although some individuals may find that preservatives are irritating to the eyes, there is no way to know until one tries for themselves. No single brand works best for every form of dry eyes. A patient may need to try several options first before narrowing it down to the best one. It is recommended that for patients with more serious dry eyes, they should not opt for preservative options.

Precautions and side effects

Optive is only for external use. To avoid contamination of the solution, do not touch the tip to any other surface. Instead, simply drop the solution into the eye. The solution should be clear when in use. If the solution changes colour, becomes cloudy or has particles suspended in it, do not continue use. Only use Optive eye drops within 3 months of opening the drops.

Do not use eye drops when wearing contact lenses. The preservative can potentially discolour soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using eye drops before putting in soft contact lenses.

Like any medications or eye drops, there may be side effects. Whilst these are only in the most severe circumstances, they are also incredibly rare, with many clinical tests taken by laboratories to measure and minimise the risk of the drops to the general population.
Signs of an severe side effects and an allergic reaction include:

• Hives
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of your face, lips and tongue
• Severe stinging and eye pain after using the eye drops
• Eye pain
• Vision changes and permanent blurring.

If any of these signs are present after using these drops, seek medical help.

Directions for use

To use both types of Optive eye drops, you must first ensure that your hands are washed and hygienically clean.

• To apply the drops, tilt your head back and hold your lower eyelid out to expose more surface area for the drops to fall upon.
• Hold the dropper towards the eye with the tip down but not necessarily touching the eye. Squeeze a drop into the eye whilst looking upwards.
• Once the drop is in the eye, close the eyes for 2 to 3 minutes.
• To ensure that the entire ocular surface is moistened, gently place your finger on the inner corner of your eye to prevent the liquid from draining immediately into your tear duct.