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Chapter 38: Ophthalmic Drugs

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Chapter 38: Ophthalmic Drugs

10 problems · 0 figures

38-1 §38.RQ source ↗

Which teaching point should the nurse include when educating clients about the administration of trifluridine?
  1. a.
    “Wear gloves when handling and instilling this medication.”
  2. b.
    “This drug is absorbed into the body and causes many adverse effects.”
  3. c.
    “Instill the medication by pulling the upper lid toward the forehead.”
  4. d.
    “This drug is effective against both bacterial and viral infections.”

Answer

A. “Wear gloves when handling and instilling this medication.”
Gloves should be worn when handling this drug because it has the potential to cause cancer.

38-2 §38.RQ source ↗

Which medication should the nurse anticipate being prescribed to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum due to Neisseria gonorrhea?
  1. a.
    Tetracaine
  2. b.
    Erythromycin
  3. c.
    Timolol
  4. d.
    Latanoprost

Answer

B. Erythromycin
Erythromycin is the only FDA-approved eye medication used for ophthalmia neonatorum and is given directly after birth.

38-3 §38.RQ source ↗

A client states that they have been told they are a “glaucoma suspect.” The nurse understands this means the client has one or more risk factors from which of the following groups?
  1. a.
    Elevated intraocular pressure, optic nerve damage, visual field deficits
  2. b.
    Elevated intraocular pressure, decreased cornea thickness, optic nerve damage
  3. c.
    Decreased intraocular pressure, strong family history of glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy
  4. d.
    Decreased intraocular pressure, increased cornea thickness, optic nerve damage

Answer

A. Elevated intraocular pressure, optic nerve damage, visual field deficits
A “glaucoma suspect” has risk factors for glaucoma including elevated intraocular pressure, optic nerve damage, visual field deficit, or a strong family history of glaucoma.

38-4 §38.RQ source ↗

Which complication of untreated “pink eye” should the nurse teach to a parent of a child with eye redness and a thick discharge?
  1. a.
    Diplopia
  2. b.
    Macular degeneration
  3. c.
    Glaucoma
  4. d.
    Meningitis

Answer

D. Meningitis
Infections, such as eye infections, that are anatomically close to the brain can result in complications such as a secondary infection like meningitis.

38-5 §38.RQ source ↗

During an intake history, a client tells the nurse that they are taking an eye drop that changed the color of their eyelids and caused their eyelashes to thicken and grow, but they cannot remember the name of the drug. Which ophthalmic drug class should the nurse anticipate the client is taking?
  1. a.
    Beta blockers
  2. b.
    Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
  3. c.
    Prostaglandin analogues
  4. d.
    Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists

Answer

C. Prostaglandin analogues
Prostaglandin analogues cause hyperpigmentation of the eyelids and increase eyelash length and thickness.

38-6 §38.RQ source ↗

Which prostaglandin analogue does the nurse understand to be more effective in Black clients?
  1. a.
    Latanoprost
  2. b.
    Travoprost
  3. c.
    Brimonidine
  4. d.
    Netarsudil

Answer

B. Travoprost
Travoprost is more effective in Black clients than non-Black clients.

38-7 §38.RQ source ↗

A client tells the clinic nurse that after administering timolol drops in their right eye, they noticed that their heart rate decreased to 50 beats per minute. Which question by the nurse best determines the most likely cause of bradycardia?
  1. a.
    “Did you drink alcohol that day?”
  2. b.
    “Have you had heart trouble before?”
  3. c.
    “How did you take your pulse?”
  4. d.
    “How did you instill the medication?”

Answer

D. “How did you instill the medication?”
If the client does not apply pressure to the nasolacrimal area to reduce drainage of this beta-blocking ocular medication into the systemic circulation, a drop in heart rate can occur.

38-8 §38.RQ source ↗

A client is taking prednisolone drops for uveitis. Which condition that can occur with prolonged use should the nurse warn the client about?
  1. a.
    Blepharitis
  2. b.
    Conjunctivitis
  3. c.
    Chalazion
  4. d.
    Cataracts

Answer

D. Cataracts
A known effect of prolonged ocular corticosteroids is an increased occurrence of cataracts.

38-9 §38.RQ source ↗

A client has been prescribed an ocular antiviral, trifluridine, for ocular herpes. The nurse instructs the client to seek immediate treatment if they experience which condition?
  1. a.
    Floaters and flashes of light
  2. b.
    Fatigue
  3. c.
    Hordeolum
  4. d.
    Tearing of the eye

Answer

A. Floaters and flashes of light
Serious side effects of ocular antiviral medications include retinal detachment, which is manifested by floaters and flashes of light.

38-10 §38.RQ source ↗

Which potential systemic effect should the nurse anticipate when administering a nonselective ophthalmic beta blocker?
  1. a.
    It may mask signs of hypoglycemia.
  2. b.
    It may decrease peripheral edema.
  3. c.
    It may reduce bronchospasm.
  4. d.
    It may increase heart rate.

Answer

A. It may mask signs of hypoglycemia.
Because the drug is nonselective, it can bind to and block both beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. When it binds to beta-2 receptors, it results in a decrease in heart rate, thus masking the signs of tachycardia often seen with hypoglycemia.

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Problems and answers are adapted from Pharmacology for Nurses by Tina Barbour-Taylor, Leah Mueller (Sabato), Donna Paris and Dorie Weaver, OpenStax, and are used under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/pharmacology/pages/1-introduction. Illustrations: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. This adaptation is released under the same licence, is non-commercial, and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by OpenStax or Rice University.