"Doctor, I get allergic conjunctivitis in March and April every year, why didn't I get better this time with the same medicine as last year?"
"Since last week, I have itchy eyes, I remember that every year you say it is allergic conjunctivitis, I used the same medicine, why did the itchy eyes not get better, and even worse this morning I woke up and found that my eyes were full of yellow discharge, and I almost couldn't open my eyes"......
Since Beijing entered the high allergy season, such cases have appeared in ophthalmology clinics from time to time.
Why did you use the wrong medicine last year?
Patients often wonder: Why has the "allergic conjunctivitis" not been cured for a long time? When told that it may be "the wrong medicine", patients often express that they do not understand why the wrong medicine last year was used wrong this year.
In fact, the "fault" here is not in the type of drug, but in the "saving".
The eye drops with particularly good efficacy in the allergy season are not used up after opening, carefully look at the shelf life and how long it is still there, and in line with the principle of saving, put the medicine away and continue to use it in the next allergy season. As everyone knows, this kind of "saving" is "wrong"!
Why is it possible to save shelf-life eye drops?
We can see that the outside of the eye drop bottle is marked with an expiration date, which generally ranges from one to two years. But, did you know that this shelf life refers to the shelf life of eye drops in an unopened state and in a suitable storage environment.
According to the provisions of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China on ophthalmic preparations and coatings: after the ophthalmic preparation is activated, it can be used for up to 4 weeks. In addition, if the color changes or odors, particles, cloudiness, or sediment occur during use after opening, they should be discarded immediately.
Why does the "shelf life" of the eye drops shorten when the bottle is opened?
Most 5-10ml eye drops contain bacteriostatic agents, also known as preservatives, which inhibit bacterial growth, so these eye drops have a certain amount of time after opening the bottle.
However, with the extension of time, the bacteriostatic agent gradually volatilizes, and the antibacterial ability gradually declines, and at the same time, when we use eye drops, the bottle mouth may also accidentally touch the eyes and the surrounding environment, which will lead to the increase and multiplication of bacteria in the eye drops, which can make the eye drops deteriorate in advance and even become a hotbed of bacteria.
In addition, our common small packets of eye drops generally do not contain added preservatives. As a result, there is no protection against bacteria and other pathogens after opening. Therefore, if it is not used for more than 24 hours, it should be stopped to avoid deterioration caused by excessive bacteria.
What are the dangers of using long-term open eye drops?
If left open for too long, the eye drops will become contaminated with bacteria, which can easily lead to secondary infections of the eye. If conjunctivitis is caused, it can manifest as red eyes and increased yellow discharge. In severe cases, it can even cause keratitis, which is manifested as photophobia, tearing, and vision loss.
At the same time, eye drops that have been opened for too long often have deteriorated the active ingredient, so that they cannot play a good therapeutic role, which is manifested as "long-term cure".
Do you get it now?
Allergic conjunctivitis is committed every year
Don't be because of unscientific "saving"
Incorrect use of a drug that has been opened for a time-out
Delay in treatment and cause eye infection!
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Contributed by: Zhao Huiying, Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Geriatric Hospital