These antibiotics kill bacteria which cause eye infection. These medicines are applied under the eyelids or to the eye to treat bacterial eye infections. One of the ophthalmic antibiotics described here is tobramycin. This article gives information about tobramycin, it is an ophthalmic antibiotic.
Adults
Eye drops — For mild or moderate infections, you can use one to two drops in the affected eye every four hours.
If the infection is severe, you can use two drops in the infected eye every two hours until the eye condition improves.
Ointment — If the infection is mild or moderate, squeeze a little ointment in the affected eye two to three times everyday. Make sure that you don’t let the ointment tube tip touch the eye.
If infection is severe, squeeze a little ointment in the affected eye every three hours until the eye condition improves.
Children
The physician determines the proper dose for children.
Precautions
- Use the prescribed drug as directed. Symptoms may disappear, but the infection may not get cleared completely if the use of drug is stopped soon.
- This may be the reason for prescribing the medication for several days even after the infection clears.
- Overuse may result in growth of bacteria, which do not show response to the drug.
- Hence, use the drug only till prescribed time.
- Then these bacteria may cause infections that cannot be treated easily.
- Make sure that the pharmacist or physician tells how long you can use the medication.
- If you are allergic to tobramycin or its ingredients, avoid using this medicine. Tell your physician about any reactions to the drug in the past.
- Pregnant women or breast feeding women should talk to their physician before using this drug.
Side effects
Side effects of tobramycin include itching, swelling and redness of the eyelid or eye. It may also result in allergic reactions. If you have any such symptoms, talk to your physician immediately.
Suggestion
Patients who are already using other medicines should make sure they inform about it to the physician before using tobramycin.
