Eye medications are used to diagnose, treat and prevent eye diseases. Most eye medicines need a prescription. However, artificial tears (to lubricate the eye) and ocular decongestants (to decrease redness) are available as over-the-counter eye drops.

Eye drops and ointments (salves) are the most common ways to medicate the eye. Other routes of administration are oral (tablets, capsules, liquids), intravenous and local injections (“shots” around the eye).

The most common therapeutic uses for eye medications include glaucoma, eye infections, allergy and inflammation (redness) of the eye. Eye drops are also used for diagnostic purposes to dilate (enlarge) the pupils or to dye the ocular surface for eye examinations. Additionally, there are anesthetic eye drops to numb the eye. These are used for some diagnostic tests or for removing foreign objects from the cornea (the clear protective outer coat of the eye).