Ophthalmic ointment "Tetracycline" for children and adults is a drug that is used for antibacterial treatment. This tool blocks the reproduction of various microorganisms. The mechanism of action of this drug is based on the failure of the synthesis of microbial proteins, which leads to the lysis of bacterial cells. Next, we will get acquainted with the instructions for using this ointment for treatment.
Ointment effectiveness
According to the instructions, Tetracycline ointment is used in many treatment regimens for various pathologies, since it is very effective against a wide range of bacteria, namely it can fight with salmonella, gonococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, chlamydia, staphylococcus, mycoplasma, rickettsia, shigella and E. coli. It does not have antiviral or antifungal properties.
Indications for use of the drug
Ointment "Tetracycline" is successfully used in the treatment of various inflammatory eye pathologies that have a bacterial etiology. Such an ointment is prescribed in a number of the following cases:
- If patients have inflammatory processes of a purulent, catarrhal or serous nature that affect the conjunctiva, eyelids and cornea.
- Including this medicine is widely used in the presence of conjunctivitis.
- If patients have barley and with trachoma.
In fact, the indications for the use of this ointment are very different, but it is important to remember that its use must be exclusively local. The drug is placed under the lower eyelid. It should also be borne in mind that with prolonged use, a secondary disease of fungal origin may occur.
Contraindications
“Tetracycline” ointment is contraindicated for patients if they exhibit an allergic reaction from the body. It is not recommended to use this medicine for the eyes in a number of the following cases:
- In the presence of leukopenia.
- Against the background of liver failure.
- In the presence of ulcerative pathology of the stomach.
- In the presence of infections of fungal etiology.
Pregnant women and children
Among other things, doctors often do not recommend the use of Tetracycline ointment for women during pregnancy, and, in addition, for children under eight years of age. But at the same time, some exceptions are possible, therefore, consultation with a treating specialist should be mandatory. Tetracycline ointment is not compatible with penicillin-type drugs and reduces their effectiveness.
Side effects
As indicated by the instructions for the Tetracycline ointment, with a predisposition to allergic reactions to the use of this drug, patients may experience irritation along with itching, burning, and possible swelling. Also, in the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, various violations of the visual functions are quite likely, while the following symptoms may be observed:
- The appearance of blurriness and fuzziness of the perceived image.
- Intolerance to bright light.
- The occurrence of excessive tear formation.
- Conjunctival redness.
Mode of application
What else does the instruction for use with Tetracycline Ointment tell us? This tool is used only for external treatment and, as already noted, it is placed under the eyelid of each eyeball in the volume of one strip, the length of which should not exceed one centimeter. According to the instructions for use, depending on the severity of the course of the disease, this medicine must be applied after the same time period, which can be from three to four hours. The duration of the course is determined by the attending physician, and this can be from several weeks to a couple of months, depending on the severity of the disease.
The instructions for the tetracycline ophthalmic ointment are very detailed.
Instructions for infants and pregnant women
The effect of "Tetracycline" on the fetus in the presence of pregnancy, exactly as during feeding, unfortunately, has not yet been studied in detail. In this regard, the negative impact is quite possible and cannot be excluded. And therefore, doctors often forbid pregnant and lactating patients to use Tetracycline ointment for the eyes.
The appointment of this ointment is possible provided that the risk is significantly lower than the positive effect of the treatment. So, the use of this ointment during pregnancy, just like for newborns, justifies itself only in cases where the disease can lead to complete or partial loss of vision.
Use for children up to a year
When using this tool to treat children under one year of age (especially if the child has conjunctivitis), certain recommendations should be followed, for example:
- The multiplicity of the use of medicinal ointment for newborns in no case should exceed four times a day, all medical manipulations are required to be carried out only with clean, previously washed hands.
- Immediately after laying the medicinal ointment, babies can experience certain unpleasant sensations, in this regard, the child should be distracted and keep his hands so that he does not try to get into their eyes.
Children from two years to three years old can use Tetracycline ointment for the treatment of severe conjunctivitis and blepharitis. But in the process of treatment it is very important to strictly comply with absolutely all the recommendations of an ophthalmologist.
For patients who have not reached the age of eight, this ointment must be used with caution and only as directed by a doctor. The frequency of use along with the duration of the course can vary, which largely depends on the severity of the pathology. The frequency of treatment per day should be from two to four times. The general course of treatment involves a duration of three days to four weeks.
With barley
Barley can be cured with the help of various antibacterial drugs, one of these is the eye tetracycline ointment. It is often recommended by specialists because it has a fairly low cost, and, in addition, has high efficiency. The presented medicinal ointment is able to quickly remove the unpleasant symptoms of the disease and alleviate the general condition of the patient.
Analogues of the drug
In the modern pharmaceutical market, there are several drugs similar to this drug that should be prescribed if there are contraindications to the described ointment:
- Hydrocortisone ointment is used for any inflammatory eye disease. For example, it is advisable to apply it in the presence of inflammation of the iris, against the background of keratitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and so on. And it is also suitable for use in the case of mechanical damage and trauma to the organs of vision, which often arise in everyday life or as a result of surgical intervention.
- A medicine called Tobrex is another substitute for Tetracycline, which is a universal and common ophthalmic drug. Currently, it is prescribed to patients with inflammation of the anterior eye. The advantage of this analogue is that it has a minimum number of contraindications, exactly as well as side effects. This drug is prescribed even for the treatment of children, however, it may be ineffective without additional medications or outside a comprehensive treatment course.
- A drug called Colbiocin is another antibacterial ointment. In its composition there are several active substances at once, namely: tetracycline, along with sodium colistimetate and chloramphenicol. In addition to the indications characteristic of tetracycline ointment, Colbiocin can also be used in the treatment of corneal ulcers, when this disease is septic.
Thus, all analogues of the described drug are used for pathologies that are treated using tetracycline ointment. True, it is necessary to take into account the difference in the active substances, and, in addition, it is necessary to take into account possible side effects along with the effectiveness of substitute drugs. You can not replace these or those drugs on your own, it is always necessary to strictly follow the doctor's prescriptions.
Drug cost
The price of this drug largely depends on the format of its release. For example, this drug in ten-gram tubes is sold at an average price of fifty rubles. As for the three-gram tubes, they cost about thirty rubles. A medicine in containers with a seven-gram volume is rarely found on sale and costs about fifty rubles.
What else can you learn from the instructions for use for tetracycline ophthalmic ointment?
Additional recommendations for the use of the drug
Tetracycline ointment, intended for the treatment of eyes, should work on about the third day. In the event that during this period there are no positive effects, you will need to consult a doctor who will have to prescribe other alternative medicines or adjust the current treatment regimen.
Immediately after laying the medication over the eyelid in most cases, a temporary decrease in visual acuity is noted, which must be taken into account when using this medication. In this regard, immediately after the implementation of the treatment procedure, it is required to refrain from driving the vehicle and performing activities that require eye strain and concentration.
When using Tetracycline ointment, contact lenses should also be discarded for a while. During treatment, it is not recommended to use cosmetics, which is due to additional contamination of the affected area with various pathogens. Any manipulations when laying a therapeutic ointment should be performed only with clean hands.
Drug Reviews
About ointment "Tetracycline" for the eyes on the Internet, people leave a lot of positive reviews. In the comments, it is often reported that this ointment allows you to effectively deal with various pathogenic pathogens.
Particularly in reviews, consumers praise Tetracycline for his help with chronic conjunctivitis. As patients say, doctors often recommend laying this drug at the first manifestation of the symptoms of the disease.
Many patients admit that they always keep this drug in their home medicine cabinet. It is noted that this therapeutic ointment actually helps when people begin to blush or watery eyes. It is reported that after three days of treatment, the eyes again return to their normal and healthy state.
People also write that this ointment helps with barley and with trachoma, and, in addition, it turns out to be very effective in patients with inflammatory processes of a purulent, catarrhal or serous nature.