Eye ointment and eye drops are among the topical eye medications commonly used to treat eye diseases. In terms of clinical use, the indications for each differ and so do the efficacy of their use. Ophthalmic ointment can be dabbed into the conjunctival sac of the eyelid for even action and long-lasting effects when applied at night or before bedtime. Since eye ointment contains an oily base, it can be dabbed into the eye to protect the tear film and reduce excessive tear evaporation. For severe dry eye or exposure keratitis, eye ointment can better achieve the purpose of tear film protection. In addition, the oily matrix of eye ointment also acts as a lubricant to reduce friction between the inner surface of the eyelid and the corneal surface. If there is a corneal or conjunctival ulcer and the head of the suture is exposed after surgery, applying eye ointment can relieve the feeling of friction. Eye drops, on the other hand, although highly permeable, are not as effective as eye ointment in lubricating the eyelid and protecting the tear film, and their effective time is slightly weaker than ointment. At the same time, eye ointment is absorbed more slowly than similar eye drops, thus relieving the side effects of some strong-acting drugs. For example, atropine eye drops are absorbed quickly and strongly into the eye, and are often used for dilated eye examinations in children, or as a pupil dilator in patients with uveitis. If used improperly, they can be quickly absorbed through the conjunctiva, tear sac, and nasolacrimal duct, causing vasodilation, facial flushing, increased heart rate, dry mouth and thirst, and other discomforts. If you use atropine ophthalmic ointment at bedtime, you can achieve the purpose of strongly dilating the pupil and paralyzing the ciliary muscle, but also avoid the side effects mentioned above. Eye ointment also has its shortcomings. For example, eye ointment should not be used during the day because after use, the oily base spills onto the skin of the eyelids, which is unsightly. In addition, it remains on the surface of the cornea and affects the clarity of seeing. Second, eye ointment should not be used for acute bacterial conjunctival or corneal inflammation. The reason is that after applying eye ointment, it will form a dense environment in the conjunctival sac, with poor heat dissipation and high local temperature, which is conducive to the growth and reproduction of bacteria, thus possibly aggravating the condition. Therefore, when people choose eye ointment or eye drops, they should pay attention to the different conditions of different diseases, so that the best efficacy of drugs.