Senior Care News

Helping Your Loved One with Eye Drops

Home Care in Buford GA

One of the main reasons your loved one may be faced with administering eye drops is due to a prescription for glaucoma. If so, following this prescription to the tee is vital in halting the Home-Care-in-Buford-GAprogression of this disease that can lead to blindness. Intraocular pressure results in damage to the optic nerve, resulting in peripheral blindness. Eye drops decrease this pressure and the resulting damage.

How to Help Your Loved One Apply Eye Drops

If your loved one is having difficulties, have them try the procedure in different positions such as sitting, standing or lying down. They will need to tilt their head back, gently pull the lower lid down, look up and apply the eye drop. Looking away from the actual dropper helps keep the eye open and prevents blinking that may limit the amount of medication entering the eye. If their hands are shaking, resting the side of their palm on the cheek or putting one pound weights on the wrist may help. Have them put pressure on the inside of the eyeball to keep the medication from draining out.

Let them know that, if they are having problems administering eye drops, they are not alone. Almost 70 percent of elderly people needing eye drops have trouble getting them into their eye. As a direct result, dispensers have been created that are larger, easy to squeeze and may help when hands are shaky.

Other Options

Other devices designed to help the elderly with eye droppers include the mirrorhat, Cressdropper and iDropper. Some of these help hold the eye open while others ensure direct placement into the eye. Whatever it takes to get the medication into your loved one’s eye is advisable.

Home Care Provider

A home care provider can remind your loved one when it’s time to take their medication. They can assist with the daily activities of living as well as accompany your parent on daily walks and provide that all-important companionship so vital to your loved one’s health and vitality. Eye-health, like the rest of the body, is dependent on the health of the physical body. Let your home care provider go grocery shopping for eye-healthy foods, prepare them with your loved one, and enjoy them together.

There is some research that indicates that aerobic exercise promotes eye health.  They believe this is due to decreased pressure.

The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable home care in Buford, GA and the surrounding areas. Call (678) 828-2195 for more information.

 

Valerie Darling

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