Eye Drops

There are as many reasons that people use eye drops as there are different types of eye drops. Some eye drops require a prescription and others you can purchase over the counter. There are also eye drops used for specific medical purposes, such as those used to dilate one’s eyes for an eye exam.

Probably the most common use of eye drops is to remove redness and to reduce itchiness or burning in your eyes. These problems can occur when you have either too much moisture, or not enough moisture, in your eyes. Most often these problems can be taken care of with the use of over the counter eye drops, containing saline solution and mild ointments, to increase the moisture in your eyes. Eye moisture can also be reduced by using eye drops containing antihistamines, which reduce the amount of moisture. You need to make sure you choose the right type of eye drop for your condition or it may make your problems worse. If the problem persists, you will need to consult your eye doctor.

Eye drops are sometimes needed to treat infections, which can be either viral or bacterial. For these problems, you need to have a doctor determine the cause of the infection so he can issue you a prescription for the right type of eye drop for your condition. The condition known as “pink eye” can be caused by either a viral or bacterial infection. Other prescription eye drops are used to treat conditions such as allergies or glaucoma. Glaucoma can also be caused by people using the wrong eye drops, so checking with your doctor before taking eye drops is always a good idea.