What action follows after dropping ophthalmic medication into the eye?

After administering ophthalmic medication, having the patient blink is the appropriate action because blinking helps to spread the medication evenly across the surface of the eye. This promotes better absorption of the medication into the ocular tissues, ensuring that the therapeutic effects are maximized.

When a patient blinks after receiving the drops, it also assists in flushing out any excess fluid from the eye, preventing wastage of the medication. This action is important for both the effectiveness of the drug and the comfort of the patient.

In contrast, closing the eye tightly may actually inhibit the medication from spreading properly, while rubbing the eye can irritate the tissue and create unnecessary discomfort or complications. Keeping the eye open for several minutes without blinking may hinder the distribution of the medication and can lead to discomfort as well. Thus, encouraging blinking is the most beneficial approach following the application of ophthalmic drops.