Miscellaneous

Genitourinary Problems in Men

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

• Occurs in older men

• Abnormal enlargement of the prostate gland

• Obstructs urine outflow from the bladder

• Alpha blockers, originally for blood pressure, relax smooth muscle of prostatic tissue which enhances urinary outflow

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Frequency or Incontinence

• Overactive bladder

• Voiding >= 8 times in 24 hours

• Awakening >= 2 times per night

• Affects 1/3 of adults and ½ of the elderly

• Urgency, frequency, incontinence, and pain

Ophthalmic Agents

Eye Conditions

• CMV Retinitis (viral infection)

• Macular Degeneration (vision loss)

• Keratoconjunctivitis (pink eye)

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)

• Ophthalmic infections

• Glaucoma (high eye pressure)

• Allergies

Types of Ophthalmic Medications

• Ophthalmic anesthetics

• Ophthalmic anti-infectives

• Ophthalmic anti-inflammatory agents

• Ophthalmic antihistamines and decongestants

• Ophthalmic glaucoma agents

• Ophthalmic lubricants and irrigations

• Ophthalmic steroids

• Ophthalmic steroids with anti-infectives

Before Instilling Eye Drops

• Remove contacts

• Wash your hands with soap and water before you use eye drops

• Don’t touch the tip of the eye drop bottle with your hands

• Don’t let the tip of the eye drop bottle touch your eye or eyelid

If you have trouble putting in eye drops, ask your eye doctor about special tools that can help

Instilling Eye Drops

1. Tilt your head back and look up

2. With 1 hand, pull your lower eyelid down and away from your eyeball — this makes a “pocket” for the drops

3. With the other hand, hold the eye drop bottle upside down with the tip just above the pocket

4. Squeeze the prescribed number of eye drops into the pocket

5. For at least 1 minute, close your eye and press your finger lightly on your tear duct (small hole in the inner corner of your eye) — this keeps the eye drop from draining into your nose

• May cause mild stinging, tearing, itching, dryness of eye