How to apply eye medication

This step-by-step guide will help you with administering eye medications to your cat.

Your veterinarian will provide you with eye medication. It can either come in the ointment formula or drops. If your pet has been prescribed both ointment and drops, apply the drops first, wait 5 minutes and then apply the ointment. The amount of medication required will also be advised. It is important to note that the number of drops required may differ throughout treatment as determined by the response to treatment.

Your pet may experience blurry vision following the medication, so always keep them in a safe spot indoors after treatment.

Eye medications are often prescribed for:

• Short or long term eye problems
• Infection
• Inflammation
• Soreness

Step 1 Clean the eye of any discharge

• Start by washing your hands. It is important that they are clean before applying medication to the pet's eye.
• Gently wipe any wet or dry discharge from the cat's eye
• Sterile saline can be applied to some cotton wool or gauze and gently wipe around the outside of the eye

Step 2 Applying eye ointment

• Hold the ointment tube in your hand as this can help warm it up to allow it to flow more easily
• Tilt your pet's head slightly so it is looking at the ceiling
• Open the eye by lowering the lower eyelid with your hand to form a pocket-like opening
• With the other, gently apply a thin strip of ointment (length of a rice grain), allowing it to flow away from the nose
• Spinning the tube a little will allow the ointment to fall away from the tube
• Gently close the eyelid to help distribute it over the eye

Step 3 Applying eye drops

• Hold the bottle of drops in one hand
• Tilt your pet's head slightly so it is looking at the ceiling
• Open the eye by lowering the lower eyelid with your hand to form a pocket-like opening
• With the other, gently apply the number of drops that is recommended on the label 
• Gently close the eyelid to help distribute it over the eye

Seek veterinary care immediately if your pet

• Paws at the eye continuously
• Eyes appear worse e.g. redder, whiter, cloudier
• Shows any other signs of illness