Question

A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who has a new prescription for timolol eye drops to treat glaucoma. Which of the following client statements indicates an understanding of the teaching?

a."I will rub my eyes for 10 seconds after putting in the medication."
b."I will look up when putting the medication into my eyes."
c."I will clean my eyes from the outer edge toward the nose before putting in the medication."
d."I will close my eyes tightly after putting in the medication."

Answer 1

The statement that indicates correct use of timolol eye drops for glaucoma is, "I will look up when putting the medication into my eyes." Rubbing the eyes or closing them tightly after administration is incorrect and can reduce the effectiveness of the medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement that indicates an understanding of the teaching on how to use timolol eye drops to treat glaucoma is: b."I will look up when putting the medication into my eyes."

Option (b) is the accurate method for instilling eye drops. The patient should tilt their head back and look up when administering the eye drops. It is important not to touch the dropper tip to any surface, including the eye, to avoid contamination. After instilling the drop, the patient can gently close the eye or, optionally, press on the inner corner of the eye (nasolacrimal occlusion) to minimize systemic absorption of the medication.

Option (a) is incorrect because rubbing the eyes after medication instillation can disperse the medication away from the eye's surface and can also cause irritation. Option (c) is about cleaning the eyes, which is not related to the actual instillation process. Option (d) is incorrect because closing the eyes tightly can also squeeze out the medication, reducing its effectiveness.