A client with a severe corneal ulcer has an order for Gentamicin gtt. q 4 hours and Neomycin 1 gtt q 4 hours. Which of the following schedules should be used when administering the drops?
A. Allow 5 minutes between the two medications.
B. The medications may be used together.
C. The medications should be separated by a cycloplegic drug.
D. The medications should not be used in the same client.
Correct Answer: A. Allow 5 minutes between the two medications.
When using eye drops, allow 5 minutes between the two medications. Antibiotic eye drops are prescribed by a doctor to treat bacterial eye infections. They work by killing the bacteria (microscopic organism) that entered the eye and caused the infection.
Option B: Allow 5 minutes interval before administering the next eyedrops. Take the full course, don’t stop early/without consulting your doctor, even if things seem better. Antibiotic eye drops usually help symptoms get better after three days. Call your doctor if your symptoms don’t go away.
Option C: It is not necessary to use a cycloplegic with these medications. Eye infections cause redness, tearing and drainage (yellow-green pus or watery), and can be highly contagious. A certain type of eye infection—a bacterial eye infection—may need treatment with a medicine called an antibiotic eye drop.
Option D: These medications can be used by the same client. Don’t use anyone else’s prescription. Don’t keep unused prescriptions around to use later. Ask your ophthalmologist or pharmacist if it’s OK to keep the drops in the refrigerator. When the drops are cold it might be easier to feel the drop when it hits the eye, so you can tell where it has landed.