Senior suffers eye injury after mistaking glue for eye drop
Shanghai Daily, September 28, 2015
Doctors warned elderly people not to take eye drops randomly without consulting professionals and must be cautious while using eye drops after a 62-year-old local woman suffered eye injury after using glue as eye drop by mistake.
The woman surnamed Wang was rushed to the hospital after using the glue and doctors said her eyes were red and swollen because of a chemical burn on the cornea on the left eye.
"Since she was sent to the hospital in time, her left eye was avoid from being blind," said Dr Wang Ping from Shanghai Xinshijie Eye Hospital today. "We can receive one or two such cases every month. Many elderly people took different drops as eye drops by mistake."
Experts said about 60 percent of elderly people have eye problems like cataract, glaucoma and fundus disease. Many elderly people use eye drops by themselves to relieve symptoms instead of visiting doctors.
"Long-term and inappropriate use of eye drops can harm cornea and even cause some eye diseases," Wang said. "Eye drops abuse can cause negative effects, as many eye drops contain hormone and preservatives."
