Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

To use:

  • First, wash your hands. Tilt the head back and, pressing your finger gently on the skin just beneath the lower eyelid, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to make a space. Drop the medicine into this space. Let go of the eyelid and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed and apply pressure to the inner corner of the eye with your finger for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to be absorbed by the eye.
  • Immediately after using the eye drops, wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them.
  • To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). Also, always keep the container tightly closed.

Do not use this medicine more often or for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

Do not use any leftover medicine for future eye problems without first checking with your doctor. If certain kinds of infection are present, using this medicine may make the infection worse and possibly lead to eye damage.

Dosing

The dose medicines in this class will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of these medicines. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For diclofenac

  • To treat photophobia (sensitivity to light) which may occur after incisional refractive surgery:
    • Adults—Your health care professional will probably give you the medicine before the operation, starting with 1 drop in the eye within one hour of surgery, then 1 drop fifteen minutes after surgery, then 1 drop four times a day beginning four to six hours after surgery and continuing for up to three days as needed.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.
  • To relieve inflammation in the eye following cataract surgery:
    • Adults—1 drop in the eye four times a day beginning twenty-four hours after cataract surgery and throughout the first two weeks following the operation.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For flurbiprofen

  • For use before an eye operation:
    • Adults—Your health care professional will probably give you the medicine before your operation.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.
  • To relieve inflammation:
    • Adults and children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For indomethacin

  • For use before an eye operation:
    • Adults—Your health care professional will probably give you the medicine before your operation.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.
  • To relieve inflammation or edema in the eye:
    • Adults—1 drop in the eye four times a day.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For suprofen

  • For use before an eye operation:
    • Adults—Your health care professional will probably give you the medicine before your operation.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.