Make sure stairs and passageways are kept clear of clutter and that the stair carpet is securely fixed and isn’t worn; Systems may be mains or battery operated and either connected by a wire or wireless. Some only allow one-way communication, others are two-way, allowing full conversation. Some have a handset which must be used when speaking through the system, others have a hands-free facility. This may allow the unit to transmit messages once speech is sensed. If no speech is sensed, the unit remains on receive mode. Induction hobs may be worth considering as they often have a timer built in and they only heat the pan, which means you can touch the adjacent surface without burning yourself. Rather than the cooking surface heating up, a magnetic field is created between the pan base and an element underneath the glass top. However, the saucepans you use need to be induction compatible and induction hobs may not be suitable if you have a pacemaker fitted because of the powerful electromagnetic field. The Autodrop Eye Drop Guide is easy to use. Simply clip the Autodrop to the top of the eye drop container after the cap has been removed. The Autodrop will then fit right over the eye, and a special lip holds the lower lid down to prevent blinking. Unique pinhole directs eyesight upward and away from the descending drops. Many individuals prefer to use gas ovens, and especially gas hobs to electric hobs. However, problems include:

There are various kinds of pressure-lowering eye drops used in the treatment of glaucoma. All the drugs used in them have standard pharmaceutical names, which are not trade names. If your drops are only labelled with the names of the drug or drugs they contain, they are said to be ‘generic’. However, many drops are better known by their trade name, chosen by the company that developed the drug and have the patent. There are certain glaucoma drops where use in children is restricted (please see our booklet Glaucoma in Babies and Children). Generic substitutes for branded drops Having an organised approach to everyday tasks can help to solve some difficulties of forgetfulness and can reduce energy expenditure so that tasks become more manageable. AutoDropeye drop guide enables patients to self-administer their eye drops with ease, helping to improve comfort and the delivery of treatments. Look at the layout of furniture – you may be able to create a safer space by rearranging or reducing the furniture in a room; If you need two different types of medication, using a combination drop can have advantages over using two separate drops. It saves both time and having to keep two different bottles. It also means that you deliver less preservative into your eye, which may reduce the possibility of developing an allergic reaction to the preservatives. For patients who pay for their prescriptions, only one prescription charge is levied for a combination drop. Different categories of dropsThat the use of telecare equipment may tend to encourage a one-sided focus on an individual’s problems and not on their existing strengths. The nature of your disability, for example is it progressive, or do your needs fluctuate with 'good' and 'bad' days. How might technology help with this?

These will automatically sound an alarm in your home and send an alarm call to your monitoring centre if it detects smoke. The monitoring centre can then alert the fire brigade. These alarms may be appropriate if you would find it difficult to get out of your home promptly, or might not remember what the smoke alarm was for. Opticare Eye Drop Dispenser. In addition to positioning the bottle over the eye, this device is designed to make it easier for the patient to squeeze the bottle. The manufacturer claims that it essentially makes a small bottle as easy to manage as a larger bottle. For more information, visit guldenophthalmics.com/products/index.php/opticare-eye-drop-dispenser.html. If your keysafe is provided by your local council, they will often arrange for its fitting. If you buy your own and you do not know someone who could fit it for you, you may find that your local AgeUK have a handyman service which can help for a small fee. Be cautious of sales people who try to persuade you to buy equipment that may not meet your needs fully or is over-priced. Buying from a company that belongs to a trade association, such as the British Healthcare Trades Association, may give you some reassurance as members have signed up to a code of practice governing standards of customer service.A daily timetable written out by a carer or relative can help by giving structure to the day. It could include, for example, visiting times for carers, meal times, and the time and channel for favourite TV programmes. It could be written on a white board, wiped off and replaced each day. These act to improve the flow of fluid out of the eye through its usual route and the drops are used three or four times a day. Prostaglandin/prostamide analogues (bimatoprost, latanoprost, tafluprost and travoprost) The drugs used in eye drops to treat glaucoma fall into several categories, according to the way in which they work. Alpha agonists (apraclonidine and brimonidine)

Sits perfectly over the eye. Delivers eye drop in the exact place first time improving patient compliance. You can use automatic, pre-recorded prompts to either provide reassurance that it is not necessary to get up, to warn against entering a particular area, or against leaving the home. Prompting devices (see above) are available that can be triggered by movement in front of them. You could, for example, mount one above a chair or next to a doorway. AutoDrop Eye Drop Guide. The tip of the dropper bottle clips into the lid of this guide, which the manufacturer says was developed in collaboration with the British Royal National Institute for the Blind. The guide, which holds the eye open with the bottle positioned over the eye, has a pinhole that lets light in; according to the manufacturer, when the patient looks at the pinhole, the eye is correctly positioned to receive the drop. This device can be used in conjunction with AutoSqueeze, another plastic device that goes around the bottle itself (rather than clipping onto the tip); it uses the lever principle to make it easier to squeeze the bottle. You can find more information about both items at: maddak.com/autodrop-eye-drop-guide-p-28115.html.The action of these drops is to reduce the production of fluid in the eye. They are used once in the morning or twice a day, as advised by your ophthalmologist. They are not usually prescribed for anyone susceptible to chest or breathing problems. Possible side effects include a slow pulse, dizziness and tiredness. In some people, these drops may cause depression, loss of libido or impotence. However, most people have no problems with them. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (brinzolamide and dorzolamide)