Among the drugs belonging to the group of fluoroquinolones, there is an effective antimicrobial called Ophloxacin Ointment. It has a wide range of applications and in practice has shown its effectiveness in the fight against various pathogenic microorganisms. According to the official instructions for use, Ofloxacin Ophthalmic Ointment is recognized as a bactericidal agent, which should be used only as directed by a doctor. Since if used improperly, it can provoke the appearance of numerous side effects.
This article will talk about what this ointment is, as well as how to use it and its analogues.
Characteristic
In order to understand what Ophloxacin eye ointment is, you need to understand its effect and scope. First of all, it is used as part of complex therapy in the treatment of bacterial infections. So this tool very well helps to suppress most bacteria and microorganisms harmful to the body. In addition, it is perfectly absorbed, and then spreads to the tissues and fluids that are in the human body. Ofloxacin comes out of the body with urine and feces several hours after ingestion. According to studies, its maximum plasma concentration is reached approximately a couple of hours after ingestion.
Structure
There is only one active substance in the Ofloxacin ophthalmic ointment, which gave the drug its name. In addition to it, another, as an “assistant”, which contributes to better absorption of the ointment by the body. This is a common petroleum jelly. In addition, propyl paraben and methyl paraben act as additional components.
In appearance, the studied agent is an ointment of a white or slightly yellowish hue without interspersing other fractions with an active substance concentration of only 0.3%. It is sold in small aluminum tubes of three or five grams. Each tube is packed in a white cardboard box.
Drug action
According to the instructions and the opinion of the doctors, Ofloxacin eye ointment is indicated for use with the following bacteria: chlamydia, staphylococcus, shigella, salmonella, serratia, helicobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and many others.
Accordingly, doctors prescribe this remedy if there are infectious diseases or inflammations in the eye area that are symptoms of conjunctivitis, barley, blepharitis, pathology of the eyelids or cornea.
In addition to the above indications, Ofloxacin ophthalmic ointment is often used as a prophylactic that helps to improve the patient's condition after surgery (eye surgery) or removal of foreign bodies from them, as well as in cases where there is a high probability of further detection of infection .
Mode of application
Be sure to remember that Ofloxacin Ophthalmic Ointment can be used only topically. This must be done very carefully, since it is necessary to lay the ointment directly in the conjunctival sac of the diseased organ. The dosage should also be minimal - not more than 0.012 grams of the active substance, that is, a strip of about 1 cm. Immediately after laying the ointment, you need to easily and carefully cover the eye, and then slightly move the eyeball in order to achieve the most optimal and even distribution of the ointment .
It is recommended that no more than 3 mortgages be made per day, although in a number of diseases, on the recommendation of a doctor, this figure is increased to 6. Doctors do not recommend observing such therapy for a very long time - a maximum period of 2 weeks. The only exception is chlamydial diseases - in this case, the normal treatment period is 1 month.
Contraindications
Be sure to remember that the product must be used exclusively as directed by the doctor, since there are a number of significant restrictions, in the presence of which it can in no case be used. So, among the contraindications for the Ofloxacin ophthalmic ointment, one can distinguish:
- chronic conjunctivitis, which is bacterial in nature;
- hypersensitivity or intolerance to any of the components of the drug;
- age up to 15 years;
- pregnancy and lactation - when absorbed into the body, ofloxacin enters the bloodstream, and therefore in some cases it can have a negative effect on the development of the fetus.
Negative reactions
It should be noted that special data on the side effects of the Ofloxacin ophthalmic ointment that occur with an overdose are simply not revealed. However, even with normal use, some negative reactions may occur. Like severe itching or burning in the eye, as well as redness of the eyeball. Much less often, patients who used this drug complained of photophobia and severe lacrimation. However, getting rid of these problems is easy enough - you just need to abandon the use of the drug and consult a doctor for symptomatic treatment.
Precautions
If the doctor prescribed Ofloxacin ointment, then a few simple rules should be followed that will help to avoid negative consequences:
- First of all, it is important to remember that during therapy with the use of the studied means, in no case should you wear contact lenses, regardless of their type.
- If you go outside during the day, then you should definitely wear sunglasses to prevent the possibility of photophobia.
- After using the product, you must wait at least a quarter of an hour and only then get behind the wheel or perform other activities, since at first there is a sharp deterioration in vision, sometimes even lacrimation.
- In some cases, the drug can be prescribed during pregnancy or before the onset of 15 years. However, only a doctor does this. He is obliged to assess all possible risks and adjust the dosage so that in no case harm the patient. Also, the doctor must constantly monitor the patient.
- During therapy with Ofloxacin, you should not drink alcohol, as this can cause a negative reaction, as well as an almost complete lack of effectiveness of the drug.
How to store the product and how much
According to the storage conditions specified in the instructions for use, the Ofloxacin eye ointment should be at room temperature. The minimum is 15 degrees Celsius. It is also important to observe normal humidity conditions. Therefore, in no case should the ointment be placed in the refrigerator, it is better to put it in the medicine cabinet. It is permissible to store no more than three years from the date of manufacture, and after this period it is necessary to immediately get rid of the drug.
However, this shelf life applies only to closed ointments. If you opened the tube, then the drug will need to be consumed within four weeks. At the same time, for normal storage, it is necessary to tightly clog the tube, and also avoid contact of the ointment with the affected eye.
Cost
When we got acquainted with the characteristics and instructions for the use of Ofloxacin, the price became the most interesting moment. It should be noted that it will please many, because, despite all its effectiveness and efficiency, the drug costs very little. Depending on the pharmacy's pricing policy, the tube can be purchased for only 35-65 rubles, which will not cause a significant blow to the wallet.
Analogs
In cases where the pharmacy does not have Ofloxacin Ophthalmic Ointment, you can purchase one of the following drugs. They are notable for having a similar effect. Ofloxacin analogues include:
- Fluoxin ointment belonging to the fluoroquinolone group also has antimicrobial properties that help destroy bacteria. The active substances in it directly affect microorganisms at the cellular level, destroying their DNA. All this leads to the fact that pathogens simply can no longer reproduce, and therefore quickly die out, which leads to recovery.
- Oflomelide ointment also has an antimicrobial effect, although in addition the drug has anesthetic properties and fights inflammation. In addition, its use leads to the rapid regeneration of tissues that suffered during the development of the disease. This effect helps to achieve methiuracil, whose action is based on accelerating the maturation and growth of new cells, which replace damaged ones.
It should be noted that these drugs are not the only analogues of Ofloxacin. Most doctors just choose them. But if you didn’t succeed in acquiring them, you can also pay attention to Azitsin, Vilprafen and Vero-Ofloxacin, which are also quite effective during treatment.
Conclusion
Eye diseases of a bacterial nature are quite dangerous for vision, so treatment should be treated with great caution. Now on the market there are a large number of drugs that can help with these problems, however, doctors most often prescribe Ofloxacin. And such a great popularity is understandable - this drug is considered one of the safest among those that are aimed at the treatment of ophthalmic diseases. As you can understand, he has practically no contraindications and the number of side effects is minimal. But this does not mean at all that with its help one can engage in self-medication. First of all, you should find out the opinion of your doctor, and then follow the clear instructions described in the article. Although the likelihood that the drug can harm is negligible, it still exists. Moreover, with thoughtless application of the necessary effect, it will also not be possible to achieve.