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Eye drops

The use of eye drops for the care and treatment of the eyes is widespread. A wide variety of opthalmic solutions, prescription and non-prescription, are designed to be applied to the eyes in droplet form to alleviate conditions ranging from simple eye strain to various eye diseases such as glaucoma. Diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, asthma, Thyroid disease, Lupus, and Glaucoma, for example, can further increase eye symptoms. Additionally, a variety of commonly used medications lead to increased dry eye symptoms including antihistamines, blood pressure medications, ulcer medications, diuretics, and antidepressants. Dry eye generally refers to any tear film abnormality, usually with epithelial abnormalities. A specific deficiency of the aqueous component of the tear film is known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), which affects about 30 million people worldwide. It is usually included as part of Sjogren's syndrome. Literally the term denotes inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva secondary to drying. Liquid eye drops are commonly used to introduce over-the-counter and prescription medications into the eyes of human patients. The most common container in which these eye drops are supplied is simply a bottle with a tapered dropper. Eye drops are designed to be absorbed through the front surface of the eye. The longer the medicine remains in contact with the eye, the better it is absorbed. Up to 90% of a drop, however, can be pumped away through the nasolacrimal duct before it has a chance to be absorbed into the eye. Liquid medications and cleansing fluids for the eye are commonly available in eye drop bottles, which are typically of the squeeze type and made of a suitable, flexible plastic material. These eye drop bottles typically include a small nozzle through which the drops may be dispensed to fall upon the eye drop user's eye.

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