An improved technique of eye drop self-administration for patients with limited vision.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a new, highly accurate, tactile technique to increase accuracy in the self-administration of eye drops.


METHODS
Interventional case series.


METHODS
Ten adult patients with loss of fixation (< or = 20/400) in one eye and ten adult patients with loss of fixation in both eyes instilled one drop of artificial tears in each eye using the technique normally employed at home. The time required to instill each drop, the number of drops squeezed from the bottle, and location of the drops' landing points on the face or eye were recorded. The patients were then instructed in a new technique for instillation, guided through the procedure once, and allowed to practice until comfortable with it. All measurements were then repeated.


RESULTS
In patients with loss of fixation in one eye, an additional 3.2 +/- 4.1 seconds were required to instill a drop using the new technique (P <.0001, paired t test; range, -7-18 seconds). The mean number of drops dispensed decreased by 0.1 +/- 0.6 drops (P =.60, paired t test; range, -2-1 drop). The accuracy of drop placement increased from 80.0% to 82.5% (P =.32, paired t test). In subjects with loss of fixation in both eyes, using the new technique increased the time needed to instill a drop by 3.8 +/- 3.8 seconds (P <.0001, paired t test; range, -3-13 seconds). The average number of drops dispensed decreased by 0.1 +/- 0.6 drops (P =.25, paired t test; range, -2-1 drop). The accuracy of placement increased from 63.0% to 85.0% (P =.001, paired t test).


CONCLUSIONS
This technique of drop instillation may be beneficial for patients with significant visual impairment in both eyes.
Ritch
Robert
R
The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York, New York 10003, USA. ritchmd@earthlink.net
Jamal
Karim N
KN
Gürses-Ozden
Rabia
R
Liebmann
Jeffrey M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015835:Ocular Motility Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012646:Self Administration / Q000379:methods*; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions