Abstract
Purpose : To investigate the actual use of eye drops with respect to their administration, storage, and disposal in a community in Saudi Arabia. Methods : A cross-sectional observational survey was conducted online. All the relevant data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic characteristics of the participants, attitude of participants with respect to the administration and storage of eye drops, and the participants’ understanding of the role of pharmacist in enhancing patients’ compliance with eye drop regimens. Results : A total of 720 participants were included in the study, viz, 229 males (31.8 %) and 491 females (68.2 %). Majority of the participants (82.5 %) indicated that they avoided touching their eyes with the bottle tip. Likewise, most participants (90.8 %) reported that they applied eye ointment after administering eye drops while 30.6 % allowed an interval of < 5 min between eye drop and ointment administration. However, 30.5 % of the participants gave an interval of 5 – 10 min between eye drop and ointment treatment. Furthermore, 32.5 % reported that they consistently washed their hands before administering eye drops, while only 29.6 % occasionally washed their hands. Conclusion : These results indicate that all the patients used eye drops improperly at some point in time, and thus, there is a need for counselling on the appropriate use of eye drops as an essential step towards successful treatment. Keywords : Eye drops, Ophthalmic preparations, Adherence, Instillation
Highlights
The eye is a complex organ with unique anatomy and physiology
Poor adherence to ocular treatment regimens could lead to ocular discomfort, loss of vision, or even blindness [3]
Factors that may contribute to non- adherence to treatment regimens include the shape and size of eye drop bottle, ease of application, and number of prescriptions and complexity of the drug administration protocols [6]
Summary
The eye is a complex organ with unique anatomy and physiology. Pharmaceutical companies produce lots of ophthalmic dosage forms. These products include ointments and eye drops which are used for treating diseases associated with ocular health. Eye drops constitute approximately 90 % of the ophthalmic dosage forms widely. The use and administration of eye drops should be done properly to maximize their therapeutic effects, and to reduce adverse reactions [5]. Poor adherence to ocular treatment regimens could lead to ocular discomfort, loss of vision, or even blindness [3]. Factors that may contribute to non- adherence to treatment regimens include the shape and size of eye drop bottle, ease of application, and number of prescriptions and complexity of the drug administration protocols [6]
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