More precisely, it is a water-based ophthalmic preparation containing active ingredients with antibiotic action. As a pharmaceutical form intended for ocular use, antibiotic eye drops must have very specific characteristics and must be used respecting some general rules.
Naturally, the use of antibiotic eye drops must be carried out only on the doctor's recommendation and its dispensing can only be done upon presentation of a specific medical prescription.
(acute, sub-acute and chronic), but not only. In fact, the use of antibiotic eye drops is also indicated in the treatment of:
- Bacterial keratitis;
- Bacterial blepharitis;
- Dacryocystitis.
In addition, antibiotic eye drops are also used in the pre- and post-operative prophylaxis of eye surgery.
(Tobral®, Tobradex®);In addition to substances with antibiotic action, other active ingredients can be incorporated within this type of eye drops. In fact, it is not uncommon for an antibiotic eye drop to contain the concomitant presence of steroid drugs with anti-inflammatory action (such as, for example, betamethasone or dexamethasone). These active ingredients are usually added to counteract the typical inflammation that occurs following bacterial infection.
Similarly, in the preparation it is possible to add active ingredients with a decongestant action, in order to control the typical symptoms of bacterial infections and consequent inflammation (redness, edema, itching, etc.).
Choice of the Active Principle
The choice to use a certain active principle rather than another depends, of course, on the bacterium that gave rise to the infection. However, since it is rather difficult to establish the pathogen responsible for the infection (if not through specific tests of laboratory), doctors often prescribe the administration of an antibiotic eye drop containing active ingredients with a broad spectrum of action.
