Emergency and Urgent Care - Eye Injuries or Infection

This leaflet contains discharge advice following your attendance to the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E).

You have been seen today by a doctor or clinician. You have been diagnosed with an injury or an infection to one of or both of your eyes.

You have been prescribed eye ointment and/or drops.

Using your eye ointment

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Gently wipe your eye with cooled boiled water
• Lie or sit down with your head tilted back. Pull down the lower lid of the eye and look up
• Gently apply half an inch/1.5cm strip of ointment inside the inner surface of the lower lid. Try not to touch the eye lid with the end of the tube
• Close the eye for a few minutes then blink several times
• Gently wipe any surrounding residue ointment away with a soft tissue
• Replace the lid and store in a cool place as advised on the tube
• Any unused ointment should be thrown away after 4 weeks
• Do not drive or operate machinery until you can see clearly again

Please note: The ointment turns into a liquid very quickly due to the heat of your eye.

Using your eye drops

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Gently wipe your eye with cooled boiled water
• Hold the bottle in the opposite hand to the affected eye
• Tilt your head backwards, using one of your fingers on the other hand, pull down the lower lid on the affected eye to create a pocket (see diagram 1, step 1 & 2)
• Gently squeeze the bottle allowing one or two drops to fall in the pocket of the lower eye (see diagram 1, step 3)
• Close your eye, using the same finger press it into the inside corner rolling your eye for up to 1 minute
• Gently wipe away any excess with a soft tissue. Avoid wiping the eye itself
• Replace the lid on the bottle and store as advised on the bottle
• Discard the open bottle after 4 weeks of opening

Diagram 1

If you have any concerns, please attend your local Accident & Emergency Department.