Tobradex eye ointment: uses, usage and what you need to pay attention to

Tobradex is an antibiotic that can be used by both adults and children. The drug is usually made in the form of an eye drop suspension or an eye ointment. So what are the characteristics of use and usage of Tobradex ointment form? The sharing of Master, Pharmacist Truong Van Dat will help you understand the information about this product!

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• What is Tobradex Ointment?
• What does Tobradex ointment do?
• How much does Tobradex ointment cost?
• Dosage of Tobradex ointment
• How to use Tobradex Ointment
• Tobradex ointment side effects
• What to do in case of overdose or missed dose?
• Things to keep in mind when taking medicine
• Tobradex ointment interactions
• How to store Tobradex ointment

What is Tobradex Ointment?

Tobradex ointment  is a drug with the main active ingredients being antibiotics Tobramycin 0.3% and Dexamethasone 0.1%. The drug used as a preservative is Chlorobutanol 0.5%. The ointment formulation is made of mineral oil excipients (liquid paraffin) and white petrolatum grease (soft white paraffin).

Tobradex is a white to off-white homogeneous ointment in the form of a tube.

Tobradex Ointment

What does Tobradex ointment do?

The drug is effective in the prevention and treatment of eye infections. This effect is produced by an antibiotic (Tobramycin) and a corticosteroid (dexamethasone). In particular, Tobramycin belongs to the group of aminoglycoside antibiotics that kill aerobic gram (-) and gram (+) bacteria. Some bacteria that are still sensitive to Tobramycin are:

• Gram (+) aerobic: Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, Corynebacterium macginleyi, Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum, Staphylococcus aureus (sensitive to methicillin-MSSA), Staphylococcus haemolytlcus (sensitive to methicillin *MSSH)
• Aerobic Gram (-) bacteria: Acinetobacter junii, Acinetobacter ursingii, Citrobacter koseri, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Moraxella catanhalis, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonasaeruginosa.

The corticosteroid Dexamethasone is effective in preventing inflammatory reactions. As a result, the drug is effective in treating eye infections.

Medicines are commonly used to treat:

• Steroid-responsive ocular inflammation for which corticosteroids are indicated
• Superficial bacterial eye infection or risk of eye infection.
• Conjunctivitis : inflammation of the blepharitis and conjunctiva of the eyeball.
• Chronic anterior uveitis and corneal injury from chemicals, radiation, thermal burns, or foreign bodies

Tobradex Ointment for eye infections

How much does Tobradex ointment cost?

The reference price of a tube  of Tobradex ointment is about 52-55 thousand VND. However, these prices are for reference only and may change from time to time.

Dosage of Tobradex ointment

Dosage and duration of use vary by subject:

Adults: Apply a small amount, about ½ inch (1 – 1.5cm) strip of ointment to the conjunctival sac of the eye to be treated 3-4 times daily.

• The frequency of administration should be gradually reduced as clinical symptoms improve.
• The drug should not be stopped suddenly.
• It can be used at bedtime in combination with Tobradex eye drops for daytime use.
• When starting out do not prescribe more than 8g and should not be re-prescribed without a physician's evaluation.

In children over 1 year of age, the drug can be used for 7 days to treat bacterial periotitis.

Patients with hepatic or renal impairment: there are insufficient data on safety when using the drug.

How to use Tobradex Ointment

The drug is for ophthalmic use only.

To prevent the tip of the dropper from touching the eyelids and the area around the eyes or other surfaces to avoid contamination of the medication. Close the cap of the vial tightly when not in use.

If more than one eye drops are used concurrently, they should be administered at least 5 minutes apart. And eye ointment should be used last.

Tobradex ointment side effects

Side effects from the drug are rare. Possible undesirable effects are hypersensitivity reactions, dizziness, headache, eyelid edema, red eyes, dilated pupils.

What to do in case of overdose or missed dose?

Treatment of overdose

Due to the nature of the ointment, there is rarely an overdose or accidental ingestion of the gastrointestinal tract. In case of overdose, rinse eyes with warm water.

Handling missed dose

No dangerous effects were observed in the event of a missed dose.

Things to keep in mind when taking medicine

• Do not inject the drug into the eye.
• Some people are contraindicated with the drug if they are hypersensitive to the components of the drug; Herpes simplex keratitis; fungal diseases of the eye structures, cowpox, chickenpox and other viral infections of the cornea or conjunctiva; recent uncomplicated corneal foreign body surgery.
• If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue the drug immediately and consult an ophthalmologist.
• Long-term use of the drug can cause glaucoma, affecting vision; facilitate the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
• The drug is not recommended for use by women during pregnancy and lactation.
• There may be temporary blurred vision after checking the eyes, so care should be taken when driving and operating machinery.

Tobradex ointment interactions

Reversal of corneal damage may be reduced if the drug is co-administered with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) .

How to store Tobradex ointment

Store the drug at 2 – 8°C.

Do not use 28 days after opening.

Keep out of reach of CHILDREN.

Above is the information you need to pay attention to about Tobradex ointment . Hope the article will help you to use medicine safely and effectively to protect your eyes.