NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) Practice Exam

Which medication type should have soft contact lenses removed before administration?

1. BAK containing eye drops

2. Non-BAK containing eye drops

3. Gel eye drops

4. All eye drops

The correct answer is: BAK containing eye drops

Soft contact lenses should be removed before administration of eye drops that contain benzalkonium chloride (BAK) due to the preservative's potential to be absorbed by the lenses and cause irritation to the eye. BAK can accumulate on soft contact lenses and lead to discomfort and potential adverse effects for the patient wearing them. Therefore, it is important to advise patients to remove their soft contact lenses before using eye drops containing BAK to ensure proper administration and avoid any complications. The other options (B, C, and D) are incorrect because they do not necessarily require the removal of soft contact lenses before administration. It is specifically eye drops containing BAK that necessitate removal of soft contact lenses to prevent potential adverse effects.