Equipment required

• Sterile dressing pack

• Sterile normal saline for eye irrigation

• Eye drops

Procedure-

• Explain the procedure to the parent and the child

• Calm the child. Make sure you have good light in the room

• Get the child to sit on the parent’s lap or beside the parent comfortably

• Wash your hands with soap and water and dry your hands

Confirm the patient’s prescription and make sure you have checked the following

• Patient’s details

• Medications

• Dose

• Time of administration

• Route and method of administration

• Expiry date on the medication

• Signature of the prescriber

Get the child in right posture-

• Head should be tilted backwards and well supported

• The parent can assist by holding the child on the lap or in older children get them to lie on the bed

• Always treat the uninfected eye first and then go to the infected eye

• Ask the child to close their eyes and wipe clean with sterile cloth dipped in sterile normal saline water. Try to remove the crusty edges

• Now ask the patient to look up and gently retract the lower eyelid to make a pouch and instil the drop

• Ask the patient to close the eye for about 1 minute

• Now dispose the equipment

• Document in the patient’s notes