[헬스&에너지+] Can I swallow the eye drops that have flowed into my nose?

[에너지경제신문 박효순 메디컬 객원기자] In winter, when the cold wind blows, the number of people suffering from tears secretly flowing increases. Due to dry eye syndrome or conjunctivitis, artificial tears and eye drops are prescribed or purchased at a pharmacy and used.

Artificial tears help with the main functions of tears: lubricating the ocular surface, protecting against external stimuli and foreign substances, cleaning the ocular surface, and transmitting clear images to the retina.

In addition to artificial tears, appropriate eye drops should be applied for keratitis, conjunctivitis, vision correction surgery such as LASIK, and cataract surgery. If these eye drops are used incorrectly, they may be less effective and may cause other abnormalities, so caution is required.

Let’s learn about the correct eye drop method through Q&A with the help of the medical staff at Kim Eye Hospital, an ophthalmology hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Q. If eye drops enter the nose along the tear duct, can I swallow it?

A. When eye drops are put into the eyes, most of the remaining drug is absorbed into the eyes and passes through the tear duct and passes through the nasal passages into the throat. When the drug passes through the nasopharynx and oropharynx and into the throat, a bitter taste is felt. Swallowing a small amount of eye drops will not cause any serious health problems, but it is best to spit it out if possible.

Q. How much eye drops should be applied at a time?

A. The principle is to instill 1 drop at a time. If you add multiple drops, various immune components or nutrients contained in the tears secreted by your body may be washed away.

Q. What are the main symptoms and eye diseases that require eye drops?

A. A typical eye disease that requires artificial tear eye drops is dry eye. It occurs when the absolute quantity of tears is insufficient or the quality is poor, so they cannot stay on the surface of the eye for a long time and evaporate quickly. Typical symptoms include stiffness, foreign body sensation, redness, and irritated eyes. It is common, but if ignored, it can lead to conjunctivitis or keratitis and even cause vision damage, so treatment is necessary.

Q. What are the types, effects, and indications of artificial tears?

A. Generally, it is classified into disposable and multi-use depending on the presence or absence of preservatives. Disposable artificial tears without added preservatives are suitable for use if you need to instill the eye drops more than four times a day or wear contact lenses.

Artificial tears containing preservatives can harm eye health if abused, even if they contain trace amounts of additives such as preservatives. Especially when wearing soft lenses, if the preservative settles and sticks to the lens, it can cause inflammation. Multi-use artificial tears have the advantage of being able to be used for up to a month after opening, but as they are used for a long period of time, thorough hygiene management is required.

Q. Are eye drops containing steroids safe?

A. It is used to suppress inflammation when redness or discharge worsens, but long-term use can increase intraocular pressure or cause side effects such as glaucoma and cataracts, so a doctor’s prescription is required. Artificial tears are also divided into various ingredients, and artificial tears of the same ingredients vary greatly in concentration, so it is best to consult with an ophthalmologist and prescribe an appropriate artificial tear eye drop depending on the cause of dry eye syndrome.

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