Infectious eye damage is often often diagnosed in medical practice. In ophthalmology, drugs from the sulfonamide group are often used. They have a bacteriostatic effect against many pathogenic microorganisms. In fact, there are many such drugs. One of them is sulfacetamide eye drops. According to numerous reviews, the drug helps to get rid of many diseases of an infectious nature.
Brief description of the drug
Eye drops "Sulfacetamide" is an ophthalmic antimicrobial drug, presented in the form of a white clear liquid. Belongs to the group of sulfonamides. The medicine is placed in vials with a capacity of five or ten milliliters. In one milliliter of the solution contains 200 or 300 milligrams of the main active substance - sodium sulfacetamide. As additional components, drops contain water for injection, a solution of hydrochloric acid, sodium thiosulfate.
Doctors often prescribe these drops for conjunctivitis in children. Also, the medication is prescribed in the following cases:
- blepharitis;
- purulent corneal ulcers;
- conjunctivitis;
- blennorrhea in newborns, including as a prophylaxis;
- gonorrheal and chlamydial lesions of the organs of vision in adults.
Store this drug at a temperature of eight to fifteen degrees Celsius. When the bottle is opened, the shelf life is twenty-eight days, if it has not been opened, two years.
Drug action
Eye drops “Sulfacetamide” is an antimicrobial agent that is active against many pathogenic microbes, for example: E. coli, Toxoplasma, Actinomycetes, Chlamydia, Gonococcus, Plague bacillus, Corynebacterium, etc.
The active substance disrupts the production of tetrahydrofolate acid, which is necessary for the formation of purines and pyrimidines. This leads to a disruption in the production of DNA and RNA pathogens, stops their active reproduction. Thus, the drug has a bacteriostatic effect.
The drug penetrates the eye tissue, has a local effect. A small portion of the drug enters the systemic circulation through the conjunctiva.
Sulfacetamide: trade name and instructions
In pharmacies, a drug with sulfacitamide is available under the name "Sulfacyl Sodium." These are eye drops with 20% or 30% of the active substance in solution, placed in bottles of 5 or 10 milliliters.
Adults are prescribed a drug with a 30% concentration in the amount of two or three drops in each eye six times a day. The course of therapy is from seven to ten days. The treatment doctor will describe the treatment regimen in more detail.
Drops for conjunctivitis in children are used, starting from two months of age, in an amount of 0.1 ml in each eye four times a day. In this case, the solution should be 20%. The course of therapy is established by the pediatrician.
For the prevention of blennorrhea in newborns, a 20% solution is used, two drops are instilled into each eye immediately after birth, and then two hours later two hours later.
Application restrictions
Contraindications include high susceptibility to the components of the medication. Use the medication with caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as there is evidence that the drug caused the development of jaundice in children.
In medical practice, there have been cases of death due to the development of an allergy to sulfanilamil. Stevens-Jones disease, liver necrosis may also develop. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to use the drug for those who have a tendency to allergic reactions to the active substance. At the first signs of an allergy, stop taking the medication and consult a doctor.
The effect of the drug on the rate of mental reactions has not been investigated. Long-term use of the drug leads to the development of pathogen insensitivity to it.
They increase the toxicity of salicylate and diphenin drops. The effect of the drug is reduced with the simultaneous use of dicain, novocaine. Do not use the medication with silver salts.
Negative effects and excess doses
Sulfacetamide eye drops can cause side effects:
- allergy;
- fungal and bacterial ulcers of the cornea of the organs of vision;
- burning and irritation of the eyes;
- nonspecific conjunctivitis;
- development of a secondary infection;
- death as a result of a strong reaction to sulfonamides.
Frequent use of drops is not allowed. There may be irritation and itching, swelling of the eyelids. In this case, it is recommended to reduce the dosage of the drug or cancel it completely. Therapy is symptomatic.
The cost of the drug, analogues
Drops can be purchased at almost any pharmacy in the country. This does not require a doctor's prescription. But it is forbidden to self-medicate, since there are known cases of death from this medicine. It costs from twenty to seventy rubles, depending on the pharmacy network and the manufacturer.
Analogs of eye drops "Sulfacetamide":
- "Sulfacyl sodium-DIA" has a similar composition and pharmacological effect. Its cost is about thirty-seven rubles.
- "Sulfacyl sodium" - antimicrobial eye drops. The price of the medicine is twenty rubles.
- Sulfacyl sodium costs thirteen rubles. The drug can be produced in the form of an eye ointment.
Thus, sulfacetamide eye drops are an inexpensive but effective remedy against infectious pathologies of the organs of vision. But you need to use them carefully, only after consulting a doctor.