A nurse supervising a student administering ciprofloxacin eye drops. Which action indicates correct technique?

• A. Instructs the client to squeeze their eyes immediately after administering the drops
• B. Drops the prescribed number of drops into the cornea
• C. Drops the prescribed number of drops into the conjunctival sac
• D. Asks the client to position themselves in a left lateral position with the knees bent

Answer: (C)

The key idea is delivering ophthalmic drops into the conjunctival sac to ensure the medicine coats the ocular surface and stays where it’s meant to work. The conjunctival sac is the space created when the lower eyelid is gently pulled down; placing the drops there allows them to spread across the eye surface as the patient blinks and minimizes immediate overflow. Administering the prescribed number of drops into that pocket ensures the patient receives the intended dose without excess spilling onto the cornea or surrounding tissues.

Squeezing the eyes immediately after instillation can push the drops out or cause excessive tearing, which reduces the amount that stays on the eye and can increase drainage or systemic absorption. Dropping directly onto the cornea isn’t correct because the cornea is a focal surface; the drug needs to be distributed through the conjunctival sac for proper contact with the tear film and overall ocular tissue exposure. Positioning the patient in a specific lateral posture isn’t required for proper dosing and doesn’t impact whether the correct amount was given into the correct space.

After placing the drops, the patient can benefit from gently closing the eyes and, if advised, applying light pressure to the inner corner of the eyelids to slow drainage, helping retain the medication on the eye.