Ofloxacin eye drops

About ofloxacin eye drops

Ofloxacin eye drops are used to treat bacterial eye infections. They work by helping to kill the bacteria which are causing the infection.

Eye infections are a common cause of conjunctivitis. In conjunctivitis, your eye becomes inflamed, feels gritty, and may water more than usual. The white of your eye may look red, and your eyelids may become swollen and stuck together with a discharge when you wake up in the morning. Only one eye may be infected to begin with, but it often spreads to both eyes. Most cases of infective conjunctivitis clear within a week or so without treatment. For more severe infections, or for infections which do not clear on their own, an antibiotic eye drop such as ofloxacin can be used.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start using ofloxacin eye drops it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte ou si vous allaitez.

• Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un antibiotique ou à des gouttes pour les yeux.

• Si vous avez une maladie cardiaque ou un rythme cardiaque inhabituel.

• Si vous prenez ou utilisez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments que vous prenez et qui sont disponibles à l'achat sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et complémentaires.

1. Lavez-vous bien les mains avant d'utiliser les gouttes.

2. Retirez le bouchon.

3. Inclinez légèrement la tête en arrière et tirez la paupière inférieure de votre œil vers le bas pour former une poche.

4. Tenez la bouteille à l'envers près de votre œil. Essayez de ne pas toucher votre œil en faisant cela.

5. Apply enough pressure to the bottle to release one drop into your eye.

6. Fermez votre œil pendant une minute ou deux, et appuyez doucement sur le côté de votre nez où le coin de votre œil rencontre votre nez. Cela aide à empêcher la goutte de s'écouler et la maintient dans votre œil.

7. Répétez le processus dans votre autre œil si l'on vous a dit d'utiliser les gouttes dans les deux yeux.

8. Remettez le bouchon.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from the pack. The manufacturer's leaflet will give you more information about the drops, and a full list of side-effects which you may experience from using them.

• If your eyes have an obvious discharge or 'crust', it can help if you bathe them with cool clean water before using ofloxacin.

• Use the drops regularly, exactly as your doctor tells you to. If the infection is severe, this is likely to be every 2-4 hours for the first two days. (Just use the drops while you are awake - you do not need to wake yourself up during the night to put them in.) On day three, reduce the frequency down to four times a day.

• If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, speak again with your doctor.

• When you first put the drops into your eye, it may cause blurred vision. This should quickly clear, but make sure you can see clearly again before you drive or before using machines or tools.

• Take care to avoid spreading the infection from one eye to the other, and to other members of your family. Washing your hands regularly (particularly after touching your eyes), and not sharing towels or pillows will help to prevent the infection from spreading.

• Si le bout du flacon touche votre/vos œil(s) en mettant les gouttes, il est conseillé de presser immédiatement deux ou trois gouttes sur un mouchoir et de rincer le bout avec de l'eau salée.

• Eye infections, or using ofloxacin eye drops, may cause your eyes to become more sensitive to sunlight than usual. Wearing sunglasses may help to protect your eyes.

• If you are using any other eye drops, leave at least five minutes between applying each preparation. This is to prevent more liquid going into your eye than it can handle. Otherwise the drops will overflow from your eye and not have the intended effect.

• Even when your eye appears normal again, there may still be some bacteria present. It is important to continue to use the drops for a further 48 hours once your eye appears normal. This will help to make sure that all the bacteria have been killed. It is likely that you may need to use the drops for about a week, but you should not use them for any longer than 10 days.

• Ne portez pas de lentilles de contact tant que vos symptômes n'ont pas complètement disparu. Attendez 24 heures après la dernière dose de collyre avant de réutiliser vos lentilles.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with ofloxacin eye drops. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with the drops. Speak with your doctor if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the drops, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

• Gardez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.

• Throw away the bottle after you have finished the course of treatment, even if there is some liquid left. Never keep opened bottles of eye drops to use later.