Administering Eye Medications
Your veterinarian will have discussed the frequency and application of the eye medication prescribed, but it may be useful to have these notes as an aide memoir.
Applying the medication
It is always useful to have someone to hold the cat for you if at all possible.
Hold the head firmly but gently and tilt the nose upwards.
Remove any dried discharge from the corners of the eye with a cotton ball moistened with clean water.
Applying Ointment
If eye ointment has been supplied in a tube, do not point the nozzle directly at the eye. Gently part the lids between your finger and thumb and holding the tube with the nozzle parallel to the eye and approximately half a centimeter from the eye, gently squeeze a small amount of ointment across the already held open eye. Your cat will immediately close his eye. Gently stroke your fingers across the closed lids to disperse the ointment, which will rapidly liquefy when in contact with the warm tears.
Applying Eye Drops
If a liquid has been prescribed the technique is, if anything, a little easier. The lids are parted as before and the nozzle is held vertically, approximately half a centimeter above the eye and one drop gently ejected on to the eyeball. Following this the procedure is exactly the same.
General Tips
Sometimes although only one eye is affected your veterinarian will have advised you to apply the drops to both eyes. Please remember to apply the preparation to the unaffected eye first. It is also important to avoid touching the eye with any part of the nozzle of the eye preparation in order to reduce contamination as much as possible.
If you find it difficult to apply the medication, sometimes a simple muzzle takes the cat's mind off what is happening and will be of great assistance. If you contact your veterinarian, he can supply a suitable muzzle or, alternatively, one can be improvised from a piece of bandage or an old tie. Your veterinarian will gladly assist with a demonstration of how to apply this.
With the flat faced, brachycephalic breeds (Perisan, Himalyan, etc.) muzzling is more difficult but techniques using a towel or in some cases a special muzzle can be effective. Please contact your vet.