Control No.

_____
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES
University Town, Northern Samar
Website: uep.edu.ph Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

ADMINISTERING THE EYE MEDICATION

Definition
 Pouring or dropping a liquid into the lower conjunctival sac of the eye.

Purpose
 To relieve eye irritations, for diagnosis and therapeutic purposes.

Equipment
 Eye medication
 Normal saline
 Gloves
 Paper tissue
 Cotton balls or gauze pledget

PROCEDURE
1. Check for the doctor’s order
2. Observe the 5R’s drug administration
a) Right patient
b) Right route
c) Right dose
d) Right frequency
e) Right time
3. Assess the condition of the client eye
structure for presence of redness,
inflammation etc.
4. Wash hands.
5. Assemble the needed materials
6. Explain the procedure to the client
7. Place client in a supine or sitting position
with head slightly extended
8. Wear gloves
9. Cleanse the eyelids and eyelashes of
any discharge. With cotton balls or
gauze pledget, moisten with normal
saline, moving from inner to outer
canthus.
10. Administer medications.
A. Instilling eye drops.
a.1. Squeeze the prescribed amount
RATIONALE
 Ensures the correct administration of
medication.
 Prevents the error in drug administration.
 Provides a baseline data to later determine if
a local response to medication occurs.
 To reduce transfer of microorganisms.
 To promote efficiency
 To reduce client’s anxiety and enhance
cooperation.
 This position provides easy access for
medication instillation and minimizes
drainage of medication through the tear
duct.
 To decrease contact with bodily fluids.
 To remove debris that can be carried into
the eye when the conjunctival sac is
exposed.
 Cleansing from inner to outer canthus avoids
entrance of microorganisms into lacrimal
duct.
 Ensures correct dose of medication.
 of medication into the eye
dropper.
a.2. Hold a cotton ball or clean tissue
in non dominant hand on client’s
check bones just below the ower
eyelid.
a.3. with dominant hand resting on
client’s forehead, hold the eye
dropper to 1 to 2 cm (1/2 to ¾
inches) above the conjunctival
sac.
a.4. With tissue or cotton resting
below the lower eyelid, gently
press down ward with thumb or
forefinger against bony orbit.
a.5. Instruct the client to look up and
drop prescribed number of
medications drops into the
conjunctival sac.
a.6. Instruct client ot close eyelid
gently.
B. Instilling eye ointment.
b.1. With non dominant hand, gently
separate client’s eyelids with thumb
and finger with downward pressure
over the bony prominence of the
cheek.
b.2. Instruct client to look up
b.3. Apply thin stream of ointment evenly
along the inner edge of the lower
eyelid from inner to outer canthus.
b.4. Instruct client to close eyes and
massage lid gently in circular motion
with cotton balls, if not
contraindicated.
11. Remove gloves and discard off soiled
12. Wash hands.
13. Document the procedure
 Permits absorption of drops that escape the
eye.
 Prevents accidental contact of eye dropper
with ye structure thus reducing risk of injury
to eye. Resting hand on the client’s forehead
provides stability.
 This technique exposes lower conjunctival
sac. Retraction against bony orbit prevents
pressure and trauma to the eyeball.
 To avoid the stimulation of the blink reflex
prevents injury to the cornea.
 Closing the eye spreads the medication over
the eyeball.
 Provides access to lower lid.
 Reduces stimulation of the blink reflex and
keeps cornea out of the way of the
medication.
 Distributes medications evenly across eye
and lid margin.
 To further distribute medication without
traumatizing the eye.
 To maintain clean environment
 To reduce transfer of microorganisms.
 To provide data needed in the care of client.
 Control No._____
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES
University Town, Northern Samar
Website: uep.edu.ph Email: ueppres06@gmail.com

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CHECKLIST

ADMINISTERING THE EYE MEDICATION

PROCEDURE ABLE TO ABLE UNABLE

PERFORM TOWITH TO
PERFORM PERFORM
ASSISTANCE
Assessment
1. Assess the condition of the client’ eye structure of lesions,
redness or drainage
2. Assess status of vision prior to drug administration
Planning
3. Wash hands
4. Prepare the equipment
Implementation
5. Check the doctor’s order.
6. Observe the 5R’s in drug administration
7. Identify the client and explain the procedure.
8. Wear gloves
9. Place client in a supine or sitting position with head slightly
extended.
10. Instill Eye medication
A. Instilling Eye drops
a.1. hold a cotton or clean tissue just below the lower
eyelid.
a.2. Hold the dropper above the conjunctival sac with
hand resting on the client’s forehead.
a.3 gently press the lower lid downward with thumb or
finger
a.4. drop the prescribed number of medication drops
into the conjunctival sac.
B. Instilling eye drops
b.1. Gently separate eyelids with downward pressure
b.2. apply thin stream of ointment along the inner
edge of lower eyelid from inner to outer canthus.
b. 3.Instruct to close eyes and massage lid lightly in
 circular motion.
11. Remove gloves and discard soiled supplies.
12. Wash Hands.
Evaluation
13. Evaluate client’s response to medication by assessing
visual change
14. Evaluate for any adverse reaction and discomforts to
medication.
Documentation
15. Record the name of drug, amount, time and route od
administration
16. Document client’s response to medication.
17. Record any adverse reraction and
 Control No._____
Republic of the Philippines
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES
University Town, Northern Samar
Website: uep.edu.ph Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CHECKLIST

ADMINISTERING THE EYE MEDICATION

PROCEDURE Able to Able to Unable to

Perform Perform with Perform
(2) Assistance (0)
(1)
1. Check for the doctor’s order
2. Observe the 5R’s drug administration
f) Right patient
g) Right route
h) Right dose
i) Right frequency
j) Right time
3. Assess the condition of the client eye
structure for presence of redness,
inflammation etc.
4. Wash hands.
5. Assemble the needed materials
6. Explain the procedure to the client
7. Place client in a supine or sitting position
with head slightly extended
8. Wear gloves
9. Cleanse the eyelids and eyelashes of
any discharge. With cotton balls or gauze
pledget, moisten with normal saline,
moving from inner to outer canthus.
10. Administer medications.
A. Instilling eye drops.
a.1. Squeeze the prescribed amount
of medication into the eye
dropper.
a.2. Hold a cotton ball or clean tissue
in non dominant hand on client’s
check bones just below the lower
eyelid.

a.3. with dominant hand resting on

client’s forehead, hold the eye
dropper to 1 to 2 cm (1/2 to ¾
inches) above the conjunctival
sac.
 a.4. With tissue or cotton resting
below the lower eyelid, gently
press down ward with thumb or
forefinger against bony orbit.
a.5. Instruct the client to look up and
drop prescribed number of
medications drops into the
conjunctival sac.
a.6. Instruct client to close eyelid
gently.
B. Instilling eye ointment.
b.1. With non dominant hand, gently
separate client’s eyelids with
thumb and finger with downward
pressure over the bony
prominence of the cheek.
b.2. Instruct client to look up
b.3. Apply thin stream of ointment
evenly along the inner edge of
the lower eyelid from inner to
outer canthus.
b.4. Instruct client to close eyes and
massage lid gently in circular
motion with cotton balls, if not
contraindicated.
11. Remove gloves and discard off soiled
12. Wash hands.
13. Document the procedure

Remarks:___________________________________________________________________________
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Grade: _____________

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Clinical Instructor Student’s Signature