?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Over+the+counter+ophthalmic+drug+misuse%2C+are+we+aware%3F&rft.creator=Kadri%2C+R&rft.creator=Hegde%2C+S&rft.creator=Kudva%2C+AA&rft.creator=Achar%2C+A&rft.subject=Online+Journal+of+Health+and+Allied+Sciences&rft.description=Aim%3A+To+investigate+the+misuse+of+%E2%80%98over+the+counter%E2%80%99+ophthalmic+medications+in+our+city.+Method%3A+Responses+of+a+structured+questionnaire+covering+various+aspects+of+over+the+counter+drug+use+was+obtained+from+pharmacy+workers+in+and+around+our+city.+Results%3A+Eighty+nine+pharmacy+workers+took+part+in+this+cross%E2%80%93sectional+study.+An+average+number+of+seven+patients+per+day+with+ophthalmic+complaints+were+seen+by+the+pharmacy+workers.+Dispensing+over+the+counter+was+practiced+by+89.9%25+of+the+pharmacists.+The+most+common+complaint+of+the+patients+visiting+the+pharmacy%2C+was+redness+and+itching+(86.5%25).+Antibiotics+(96.6%25)+were+the+most+common+eye+drops+dispensed+over+the+counter%2C+followed+by+steroids+(55.1%25)%2C+decongestants+(54.1%25)%2C+antibiotic-steroid+combination+eye+drops+(29.2%25)+and+lubricants+(16.8%25).+Awareness+regarding+complications+of+steroid+use+was+seen+in+40.6%25+of+pharmacists.+6.7%25+pharmacists+had+seen+patients+with+complications+following+use+of+over+the+counter+medications.+In+our+study%2C+majority+of+the+eye+drops+dispensed+were+prescription+drugs.+Conclusion%3A+Availability+of+prescription+eye+drops+over+the+counter+is+an+immense+public+threat.+Educating+the+pharmacist+and+the+population+can+decrease+ocular+morbidity.+Research+into+methods+to+effectively+deal+with+over-the-counter+drug+misuse+is+required+and+law+can+be+enforced+based+on+the+findings.&rft.publisher=Dr.+B.S.+Kakkilaya&rft.contributor=Kakkilaya%2C+Dr+Srinivas&rft.date=2010-07-30&rft.type=Journal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F7010%2F1%2F2010-2-11.pdf&rft.identifier=++Kadri%2C+R+and+Hegde%2C+S+and+Kudva%2C+AA+and+Achar%2C+A++(2010)+Over+the+counter+ophthalmic+drug+misuse%2C+are+we+aware%3F++%5BJournal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F7010%2F