title: Evaluating eye drop instillation technique in glaucoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the technique of eye drop instillation in glaucoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or primary angle-closure glaucoma, self-administering topical antiglaucoma medications for at least 6 months were evaluated. All patients instilled a tear substitute in 1 eye using the same technique they used for instilling antiglaucoma medications at home. The parameters that were recorded included time taken to instill the first drop, number of eye drops instilled, drop contact location, any contact with the tip of the bottle, and closure of the eyelids or tear duct after drop instillation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 54.1±10.0 years. The mean time taken to instill the first drop was 14.8±3.7 seconds (range, 8.7 to 23.5 s). The mean number of drops squeezed from the bottle per instillation was 1.8±1.2 drops (range, 1 to 8 drops). In 22 patients (31.43%), the eye drops fell on the eyelids or cheek. Fifty-three patients (75.7%) touched the tip of the bottle to the globe or periocular tissue. Twenty patients (28.57%) closed eyes after instilling drops and 4 patients (5.7%) occluded the punctum. Only 6 patients (8.57%) were able to correctly instill the eye drops (squeeze out 1 drop and instill it into the conjunctival sac without bottle tip contact).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly, 9 of 10 glaucoma patients were unable to instill eye drops correctly. This may be an important cause of unintentional noncompliance in glaucoma medical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Facility, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Raghav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Bharat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Bhavin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Shveta Jindal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bali
authors.forename: Sanjay K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Tanuj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dada
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004349:Drug Packaging; D005260:Female; D015812:Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D008916:Miotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011465:Prostaglandins, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; D008916:Miotics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011465:Prostaglandins, Synthetic