Antibiotics, Ophthalmic Health Article

Definition

Ophthalmic antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria that cause eye infections.

Purpose

Ophthalmic antibiotics are applied to the eye, or under the eyelid, to treat eye infections caused by bacteria.

Description

The medicine described here, tobramycin (Tobrex), comes in the form of eye dropsor ointment. It is available only with a physician's prescription.

Recommended dosage

The dosages given here are typical doses. Physicians may adjust the number of doses per day, the time between doses, and the length of treatment with the medicine, depending on the patient's particular medical problem. If the physician's directions are different from those given here, follow the physician's directions.

Be sure to follow package directions for applying drops or ointment properly.

Adults

EYE DROPS. For mild to moderate infections, use one to two drops in the affected eye or eyes every four hours.

For severe infections, use two drops in the affected eye or eyes every two hours until the condition improves. At that time, the physician will determine how much to use until the infection is completely cleared up.

OINTMENT. For mild to moderate infections, squeeze a half-inch ribbon of ointment into the affected eye or eyes two or three times a day. Do not let the tip of the ointment tube touch the eye.

For severe infections, squeeze a half-inch ribbon of ointment into the affected eye or eyes every three to four hours until the condition improves. At that time, the physician will determine how much to use until the infection is completely cleared up.

Children

The child's physician should determine the proper dose.