Download Article
A guide to keeping your eyes clean throughout medication and treatment
Download Article
If you have a bacterial infection in your eye or your doctor wants to prevent one from happening, then you need an antibiotic, prescribed by a doctor, to treat the problem. One of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for bacterial eye infections is erythromycin. Erythromycin ointment can help kill infections of the eye caused by bacteria. Some of the most widely available brand names of erythromycin are Ilotycin, Romycin, PremierPro RX Erythromycin, and Diomycin. To ensure the effectiveness of erythromycin, it is essential that you know how to use it properly. [1] X Research source
Steps
-
Educate yourself about the possible side effects. Possible side effects of erythromycin are burning, redness or stinging of the eyes and blurred vision. If these symptoms persist and your condition does not improve, discontinue use of erythromycin and notify your physician as soon as possible. Erythromycin can also cause severe allergic reactions and you should discontinue use immediately if you notice the following symptoms: [2] X Research source
- Rash
- Hives
- Swelling
- Redness
- Chest tightness
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
-
Consider your medical status and history. Be aware of the contradictions of erythromycin, or the conditions and factors that may be specific to you and require withholding this treatment. Always inform your physician if you are pregnant or have allergies or are currently taking any medications. There are a number of conditions and situations in which you should not use erythromycin. These include:
- Breastfeeding — Do not use erythromycin ointment while you are breastfeeding. Erythromycin ointment is a category B medication according to FDA regulations and is not expected to harm an unborn fetus. However, the medication may enter the bloodstream of a breastfeeding mother and be transported to the baby via breast milk. [3] X Research source [4] X Research source
- Allergy — Avoid using erythromycin if you have a known allergic reaction to it. Inform your physician about any allergic reactions you might expect after using erythromycin. He may either lower the dose or prescribe you with an alternative medicine. Hypersensitivity to erythromycin ointment can be similar to allergy, but to a lesser degree. [5] X Research source
- Certain medications — Taking medications such as Warfarin or Coumadin may cause an interaction with erythromycin ointment. Inform your doctor if you are taking these medications. [6] X Research source
Advertisement -
3Prepare to apply the medication. Remove contact lenses and all eye makeup. Make sure that you have a mirror in front of you so you can see what you're doing or consider having a friend or family member help with application. [7] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
-
Wash your hands . Always ensure that your hands are clean before using the ointment by washing them with soapy water. Washing your hands before touching your face and eyes can help to prevent further infection. [8] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
- Ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly for at least twenty seconds with an emphasis on cleaning the areas in-between your fingers and under your fingernails. [9] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
- Use warm running water and soap.
Advertisement
-
Tilt your head backward. Tilt your head backwards slightly and then with the fingers of your dominant hand (or whichever you are comfortable with), pull down your lower eyelid. This will create a small pocket where you can insert the medication. [10] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
-
Position the ointment tube. Take the tube of ointment and place the tip of the tube as close as possible over the pocket you created in your lower eyelid. As you do this, you need to roll your eyes upwards, as far away from the tip of the tube as possible. This will lessen the chance that you injure the eye.
- Do not touch the tip of the tube to the eye. This is important in order to prevent the contamination of the tube’s tip. If the tip is contaminated, this will cause bacteria from the infection to spread more easily and potentially infect other parts of your body or invite a new, secondary infection into your eye. [11] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- In event of accidental contamination of the tube's tip, rinse the tip thoroughly with sterile water and antibacterial soap. Squeeze the tube to remove surface ointment that may have gotten in contact with the tip.
-
Apply the ointment. Squeeze a ½-inch long ribbon of ointment (or the amount prescribed by your doctor) into the lower eyelid pocket. [12] X Research source
- While doing this, continue to ensure that you avoid touching the tip of the tube to the surface of your eye.
-
Look down and close your eyes. As soon as you have applied the right amount of ointment on your eye, look down and close your eyes [13] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Opthamologists Professional medical organization focused on advocating for public health and supporting sight-related research Go to source
- Roll your eyeball around in its socket with your eyes closed in order to evenly distribute the ointment.
- Keep your eyes closed for about one to two minutes. This will give your eyes enough time to absorb the medication.
-
Open your eyes. Use a mirror to check that you have correctly placed the ointment into the eye. Remove any excess ointment with a clean tissue.
- You may experience some blurriness due to the ointment. As a result, avoid driving or wearing contact lenses after applying the ointment as your vision may be temporarily compromised. You should basically avoid any activity that requires good visual acuity, such as driving or operating heavy machinery. Once your vision has returned to normal, you can resume such activities.
- Your vision should return to normal after a few minutes.
- Never rub your eyes even if you have blurred vision. Rubbing will only worsen the blurriness or injure your eye.
-
Replace and tighten the cap. Store the medication at room temperature, not exceeding 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). [14] X Research source
-
7Follow dosing instructions. Know how often you need to apply the ointment and stick to those instructions. Most people have to use the ointment four to six times daily. [15] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Set alarms or reminders throughout the day to ensure all doses are met.
- If you miss a dose, apply the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if your next scheduled dosage is coming up, then skip the missed dosage and get back on the schedule. Never apply extra ointment as a way to compensate for a missed dose. [16] X Research source
-
Apply the medication for the prescribed length of time. The duration of erythromycin use can range from a few weeks to six months. [17] X Research source Always complete the full course of erythromycin treatment as directed by your doctor. Antibiotics always require their full course of treatment. Though your eye infection may already have healed, you eye may become re-infected if you do not continue to use the medication for the length of time prescribed. [18] X Research source
- A relapse of eye infection can potentially be worse than the initial infection.
- In addition, not completing the full course of antibiotic treatment runs the risk of developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is an increasing problem for illness requiring antibiotic treatment.
-
Visit your doctor for a follow-up. After the prescribed length of time of using erythromycin, you can visit your doctor for a follow-up appointment. If you experience any problems or side effects, such as severe itchy watery eyes, you may have an allergy and need to rinse your eyes immediately with sterile water. Have someone take you to an emergency care facility immediately or call 911.
- If infection still persists after duration of erythromycin as determined by your doctor, inform your doctor. Your doctor may advise using the ointment for a longer period or time or opt for another treatment. [19] X Research source
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- Erythromycin is also used in newborns to treat infections such as chlamydia trachomatis, which is passed on from mother to baby at birth. [20] X Research sourceThanks
- People who are allergic to penicillin can be prescribed with erythromycin as an alternative. [21] X Research sourceThanks
- Erythromycin is an antibiotic that falls under the macrolide category. Erythromycin is bacteriostatic, which means that it stops the growth or proliferation of bacteria.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Erythromycin is used against bacteria. If your infection is fungal or viral in nature, erythromycin is not effective.Thanks
Advertisement
References
- ↑ http://www.drugs.com/mtm/erythromycin-ophthalmic.html
- ↑ http://www.drugs.com/mtm/erythromycin-ophthalmic.html
- ↑ http://www.drugs.com/mtm/erythromycin-ophthalmic.html
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/erythromycin-ophthalmic-route/before-using/drg-20068673
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249958/#!po=44.8718
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/erythromycin-ophthalmic-route/before-using/drg-20068673
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/erythromycin-ophthalmic-route/before-using/drg-20068673
- ↑ http://www.drugs.com/cdi/erythromycin-ointment.html
- ↑ https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/how-to-put-in-eye-drops
- ↑ http://www.drugs.com/mtm/erythromycin-ophthalmic.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/erythromycin-ophthalmic-route/before-using/drg-20068673
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
- ↑ http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ilotycin-ophthalmic-erythromycin-ophthalmic-343573#0
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
- ↑ http://www.drugs.com/mtm/erythromycin-ophthalmic.html
- ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a613018.html
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 67,220 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "Reading the article helped me understand the importance of following directions carefully. It also educated me on what my eye situation was and the importance of not touching eyes with tubes or unwashed hands and rubbing your eyes. Very helpful article. Thank you." ..." more
Advertisement
95%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"Reading the article helped me understand the importance of following directions carefully. It also educated me on what my eye situation was and the importance of not touching eyes with tubes or unwashed hands and rubbing your eyes. Very helpful article. Thank you."
..."
more
