Eye ointment

How to give medicines: eye ointment

This leaflet gives tips about how to give eye ointment to children. Leaflets on individual medicines are available to search on the Medicines for Children website.

This leaflet has been written specifically for parents and carers about the use of medicines in children. Please read this leaflet carefully. Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it again.

Eye drops and eye ointment

Medicines for the eye are available as eye drops or as eye ointment. 

Important things to know about eye drops and eye ointment

• Once opened, eye drops and ointments should normally not be kept more than 28 days. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to dispose of.
• Sometimes eye drops or ointment can cause mild redness, stinging or blurred vision. This should go away after a few minutes, but if it persists or is severe, contact a doctor or pharmacist.
• Your child should not wear contact lenses during the whole course of the eye drops or ointment they have been prescribed, as the lenses could be damaged.
• If your child is using more than one eye medicine, try to leave at least 5 minutes between the different medicines.
• If your child is being treated for an infection, it is common to be given a separate bottle or tube for each eye.

Before you give eye ointment

• If you have to use both eye drops and eye ointment, use the eye drops first and then apply the ointment
• Use the eye ointment only in the infected eye, unless your doctor has told you to treat both eyes.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after giving the ointment. 
• The ointment is easiest to give when your child is lying down.

How to give eye ointment

• For older children, gently pull the lower lid out and down and squeeze the tube gently so that a small amount (approximately 1 cm) goes into the pocket that is formed. 

• In small children and babies, place the ointment into the inner corner of the eye, preferably with the eye open.

• After giving the ointment, your child should blink several times to help dissolve the ointment.
• If you think the ointment didn’t go into the eye, you can repeat the process but do not try more than twice.
• Try to avoid the tip of the tube touching any part of your child’s eye, if possible. 
• Wash your hands again with soap and hot water.