Medical Abbreviation: "Blink BID OU"
"Blink BID OU" is a prescription instruction meaning to instill artificial tears (typically referring to a brand name lubricant eye drop) twice daily (BID = bis in die) in both eyes (OU = oculus uterque).
Abbreviation Breakdown
- Blink = Brand name for an over-the-counter artificial tear product 1
- BID = Latin abbreviation "bis in die" meaning twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart 2
- OU = Latin abbreviation "oculus uterque" meaning both eyes 3
Clinical Context and Usage
This prescription format is commonly used for managing dry eye disease, where artificial tears serve as first-line therapy 3, 4:
- Dosing schedule: Instill one drop in each eye twice daily, typically spaced approximately 12 hours apart 2
- Application technique: Patients should be instructed to avoid touching the vial tip to the eye or any surface to prevent contamination and potential eye injury 2
Important Clinical Considerations
Timing with Other Eye Medications
- If using multiple topical eye medications, allow a 15-minute interval between different products to prevent dilution and washout 2
- This spacing applies to both prescription medications and other lubricant drops 2
Contact Lens Wear
- Artificial tears should not be administered while wearing contact lenses 2
- Patients with decreased tear production typically should not wear contact lenses 2
- If contact lenses must be worn, remove them prior to instillation and wait 15 minutes before reinserting 2
Frequency Considerations
- While BID dosing is prescribed, patients with dry eye disease often require more frequent application based on symptom severity 3
- However, frequent use of preserved eye drops (>4 drops daily) can cause corneal epithelial breakdown 5, 4
- For patients requiring more than 4 applications daily, preservative-free formulations should be recommended 5, 4
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Contamination risk: Emphasize not touching the dropper tip to any surface, as this is a frequent source of ocular infection 2
- Medication washout: Failure to space multiple eye medications by 15 minutes reduces efficacy of all products 2
- Preservative toxicity: Overuse of preserved artificial tears (>4 times daily) paradoxically worsens dry eye through epithelial damage 5, 4