Tobrex eye drops are used to treat bacterial infections of the outer part of the eye - conjunctivitis, stye, blepharitis, keratitis, iridocyclitis, and other diseases. Before prescribing the drug, the doctor must examine the patient's eyes and decide on its use. Tobrex eye drops contain the active substance tobramycin, which is one of the most important antibacterial drugs.
Compound
Tobramycin is an "aminoglycoside" antibiotic. Active Ingredient:
- tobramycin (3.0 mg/ml)
Other Ingredients:
- benzalkonium chloride (0.1 mg/ml) as a preservative;
- boric acid;
- sodium sulfate;
- sodium chloride;
- tyloxapol sodium hydroxide and/or sulfuric acid (to adjust pH levels);
- purified water.
Before using eye drops, you should consult your doctor
Contraindications
Before using Tobrex eye drops, you need to make sure that there are no relevant contraindications. These include:
- allergy to tobramycin or other aminoglycosides;
- allergic reactions to antibiotics or any of the components of Torbex eye drops;
- any other similar medicines.
Some of the symptoms of an allergy - the reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin.
You should not use Torbex eye drops if:
- the security seal around the cap or the neck area of the bottle is broken;
- the bottle/packaging shows signs of tampering;
- The medicine's expiration date stated on the package or bottle has expired.
The use of a drug that has expired is strictly prohibited.
Do not use Tobrex eye drops while wearing contact lenses. Residues of the preservative, benzalkonium chloride, may be contained in soft contact lenses. The use of contact lenses is allowed 15 minutes after eye drops.
The drug should not be used to treat the eyes of newborns and children under 12 months of age.
You should not take Tobres while wearing contact lenses.
Before starting treatment with the drug, you should consult with an ophthalmologist. The medical history must indicate the presence of allergies to any other medications or substances such as food, preservatives or dyes, and whether there are medical conditions that prevent the use of Tobrex drops.
It is necessary to discuss the possibility of using the drug if the patient is pregnant or planning a pregnancy during the course of treatment, during breastfeeding.
Instructions and dosage
Tobrex and Tobrex 2x eye drops have different frequency of administration. The first remedy is administered 4-5 times a day, 1 drop alternately into each organ of vision. Tobrex 2x is used in the same volume, but with less frequency - 2-3 times within 24 hours.
The thick consistency of Tobrex 2x ensures longer retention of the active substance in the ocular structures, which allows instillations to be performed less frequently and maintain the required therapeutic effect. The duration of use of both drugs is 7-10 days.
In severe cases, instillations can be performed hourly. After it is possible to reduce the severity of symptoms, the drugs are used in accordance with the standard regimen.
To maximize the therapeutic effect of eye drops, it is recommended to supplement therapy with the use of Tobrex eye ointment (it is better to treat with this drug at night).
Interaction with other drugs
Before using Tobrex eye drops, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicine, including other eye drops, ointments or any other medicines that can be obtained without a prescription from a pharmacy or supermarket.
Some medications and Tobrex cannot be used at the same time. These drugs include beta-lactam antibiotics. Your doctor or pharmacist should provide information about medications that should be avoided while using Tobrex eye drops.
Is there a difference?
To determine which drug is better, you need to understand the differences between them. Having studied the composition, it is clear that the components present in Tobrex and Tobrex 2x are absolutely similar, therefore, both medications have the same effect on the eyes. The difference lies in the consistency and with Tobrex 2X it is thicker, which means it has a higher percentage of absorption. Therefore, the second medicine is more suitable for the treatment of severe eye pathologies and is not at all intended for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases in newborns.
Indications for use
When treating with eye drops, priority in the area of application of Tobrex belongs to the attending physician or ophthalmologist. In case of switching to the use of other eye drops or replacing them with Tobrex, the doctor must provide advice on the procedure for completing the course of previous treatment and switching to a new drug.
In general, the dosage for adults will depend on the type and severity of the infection being treated. If the eye has a very severe infection, the doctor may recommend applying 2 drops to the affected eye(s) every hour; For mild to moderate infections, the dose is usually reduced to 1-2 drops in the affected eye(s) every four hours.
Terms of use
It is important to use Tobrex eye drops exactly as prescribed. If the medicine is used less often than prescribed, the treatment will not be effective. More frequent use of the drug does not lead to a quick cure of the infection, but may cause increased side effects.
Wash your hands thoroughly before putting drops into your eyes.
Before putting drops into your eyes, you need to do the following:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Immediately before using the bottle for the first time, open the seal around the neck area and discard the loose plastic ring.
- Remove the cap from the bottle.
- Hold the bottle upside down in
- one hand between the thumb and middle finger
- While tilting your head back, gently lower your lower eyelid to form a pouch/pocket.
- Place the tip of the bottle next to the eye, avoiding the packaging touching the eye.
- Release one drop into the bag/pocket between the eye and eyelid, pressing lightly on the base of the bottle with your index finger.
- Close eyes. Do not blink or rub your eyes.
- While the eye is closed, place your index finger opposite the inner corner of the eye and press on the nose for about a couple of minutes. This will help prevent the medicine from leaking through the tear duct into the nasopharynx, where it can be absorbed into other parts of the body. This will also reduce the unpleasant taste sensation that some patients experience while using Tobrex.
- If necessary, repeat the above steps for the other eye.
- The eyelids can hold less than one drop at a time, so it is normal for a small amount of eye drops to leak onto the cheek.
- Place the cap on the bottle, closing it tightly.
- Wash your hands again with soap and water to remove any remaining medication. The patient may feel a slight burning sensation in the eye shortly after using Tobrex eye drops. If this sensation persists for a long time or the patient feels discomfort, you should consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Avoid touching the spout of the medication bottle with your hands or any object to prevent contamination of the medication. Properly sealed drops can be placed in the refrigerator for storage.
After using Tobrex eye drops, you must wait at least 5 minutes before using any other eye drops or medications.
Before using contact lenses, you should wait at least 15 minutes after using eye drops.
It is recommended to use the drug at the same time every day - this will have a good effect on the treatment of eye infections.
Lenses should be used 15 minutes after Tobrex drops.
The duration of therapy with Tobrex eye drops should not be shorter than indicated in the prescription, even if the symptoms of the disease decrease after the start of use. Only a full course of treatment guarantees getting rid of the infection and preventing the symptoms of the disease from returning. Before completing therapy, you should consult your doctor.
If the next dose of Tobrex is missed, there is no need to double the dosage, but continue treatment at the next dose or at the moment when the patient remembers the need to apply eye drops.
Comparative characteristics
Composition of drugs
The pharmaceutical products Tobrex and Tobrex 2X contain an antibiotic from the aminoglycoside group, tobramycin, as the main component. Other substances that perform an auxiliary function are also included in the composition, including:
- sodium sulfate;
- tilaxopol;
- monobasic Lewis acid;
- caustic soda.
Both medications are available in the form of drops, but they differ in consistency. Tobrex 2x has a thicker structure, somewhat similar to office glue, and therefore it stays in the conjunctival sac longer and does not require frequent instillations. Since the composition of antibacterial medications is identical, the rest of the difference between them will be insignificant.
The decision on the advisability of using Tobrex or Tobrex 2x should be made exclusively by a specialized physician - an ophthalmologist, especially if the treatment is to be carried out in young children.
When are they prescribed and to whom are they contraindicated?
The medication is used in the treatment of lesions of the choroid of the anterior part of the eyeball.
Eye drops are prescribed to children and adults for the treatment of the following pathologies of the visual organ:
- blepharitis;
- acute inflammation with pus of the hair follicle of the eyelash or sebaceous gland;
- iridocyclitis;
- inflammation with suppuration of the inner membranes of the eyeball;
- inflammatory lesion of the meibomian glands;
- purulent and catarrhal conjunctivitis;
- obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct.
The active substance in the ophthalmic drug acts on gram+ and gram-pathogenic agents, as well as escherichiosis, staphylococcal and streptococcal flora. The safety of Tobrex allows it to be used even by newborns, since its structure and low concentration of the main ingredient are rather poorly absorbed in the blood. But this does not apply to Tobrex 2x, which has a more viscous consistency, which is not suitable for the treatment of ophthalmic pathologies in children under 1 year of age. Both medical products are contraindicated for patients who have a personal intolerance to any component of the composition, as well as in the presence of allergic conjunctivitis and other manifestations of allergies. In addition, Tobrex 2X is also contraindicated in children under 12 months of age.
Recommendations for use
The drug can be used for newborns, but the intensity and course of treatment is prescribed by a specialist.
For adults who have experienced inflammatory eye diseases, Tobrex is usually prescribed 1 drop up to 5 rubles/24 hours. The duration of the therapeutic course should not exceed 7 days. For newborns, the doctor selects the dosage of the antimicrobial agent personally, based on the diagnosis and severity of the baby’s condition. Before using eye drops, it is recommended that young children be sure to check their body’s reaction to this medical product. The instructions for Tobrex 2X are different, and due to the viscous consistency of the drops, which allows the solution to linger in the eye for a long time, they can be instilled 1 drop at a time. in the morning and evening for 7 days. Patients with acute severe infectious lesions of the visual organ are allowed to carry out up to 4 instillations on the first day, and then, as usual, 1 drop. in the morning and evening. Each time before instilling the pharmaceutical drug, you need to shake the bottle.
Negative reactions
Despite the undoubted effectiveness of the antibacterial drugs Tobrex and Tobrex 2X, they, like all antibiotics, can cause adverse events, especially if they are used in excess of the recommended dosages. So, among the possible negative effects may be:
- convulsions;
- temporary deterioration of visual function;
- redness of the connective membrane, itching and discomfort;
- disruption of the kidney organ;
- recurrence of infections.
In case of overdose of the drug and sensation of side effects, it is necessary to rinse the organs of vision with water.
If the dosage of drops has been significantly exceeded, the victim may experience pain, burning and discomfort. In this case, you will need to immediately rinse your eyes with running water and close your eyelids and sit for 2-4 minutes. Subsequent instillation should be carried out only after the complete disappearance of discomfort.
Overdose
If you overdose on eye drops, rinse your eyes immediately with warm water. If the contents of a bottle or bottle of eye drops have been drunk or part of the medicine has been swallowed, you should immediately consult a doctor, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
If, a few days after starting to use TOBREXEye Drops, the symptoms of the disease have not improved or the situation has worsened, you should consult a doctor. When you start taking a new medicine, you should tell your doctor about using Tobrex. Also, the use of the drug must be reported every time you visit a dentist, ophthalmologist or any other doctor.
If Tobrex eye drops were used outside of the prescription, you should inform your doctor about this. Otherwise, the doctor may think that the treatment was not effective and use unnecessary measures to combat the infection.
If the patient becomes pregnant while using the drug, she should tell her doctor about it.
Forbidden:
- allow children free access to Tobrex;
- use eye drops without a doctor's prescription;
- give medicine to someone, even if the symptoms of the disease are the same;
- stop taking the drug, reduce the dosage or frequency of use without your doctor’s permission, even if the symptoms of the disease have improved.
If the patient does not take the full course as prescribed by the doctor, not all of the bacteria that caused your infection may be killed. These bacteria may continue to grow and multiply. Thus, the infection may not be completely cured or may return.
Tobrex should be used with caution while driving or operating machinery because the drug may affect the person and their vision. As with any eye medication, temporary blurred vision or other vision disturbances may affect the ability to drive or use machinery. If blurred vision occurs during instillation, you should wait until it clears before traveling or using the equipment.
Contraindications and precautions
The pharmacological product does not have an extensive list of contraindications. Eye drops are not prescribed to persons who exhibit poor tolerance to the active ingredient or auxiliary compounds or who suffer from an allergic type of conjunctivitis. The drug can be used during pregnancy and lactation only as prescribed by a doctor, after considering all possible risks for the mother and fetus.
Unlike Tobrex, its closest analogue Tobrex 2x is not recommended for use in children who have not left infancy (under 12 months).
During the period of use of the antibiotic, the basic precautions indicated in the instructions must be observed:
- When using solutions with tobramycin, it is necessary to avoid instillation for too long. Using the medicine for longer than the period indicated by the doctor is fraught with the growth of microflora that is immune to it and the development of superinfections.
- The preservative contained in the preparation can negatively affect contact optics. Patients wearing any type of lenses should remove them before administering the drug and put them back on after 15 minutes.
- To prevent the penetration of harmful microbes into the solution, during instillation you should avoid touching the mucous membrane with the tip of the bottle. After each instillation, the container with the medication must be tightly closed and stored in compliance with the rules established by the manufacturer (in dark places, at a temperature not exceeding +25 °C).
- The sealed product is suitable for use for two years, counted from the date of its release. The medicine from the opened vial is used for no longer than 4 weeks.
Considering the minimal systemic absorption of the drug, as well as the action at the local level, an overdose of this drug is practically excluded.
Side effects
If you experience prolonged discomfort while using Tobrex eye drops, you should report this to your doctor. This medication helps most people with eye infections, but may cause unwanted side effects in some patients. All medications can cause side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. Medical treatment may be needed to relieve some side effects.
One possible side effect is red eyes.
A list of some side effects during treatment with Tobrex drops, however most people do not experience them:
- eye irritation or feeling of a foreign object in the eye;
- inflammation of the cornea;
- punctate keratitis;
- swollen/itchy eyelids;
- redness of the eyes.
These are the most common cases of side effects of the drug. Usually they are not mild and last a long time. However, if any of the following occur, you should stop taking the medicine and consult a doctor:
- skin rash;
- swelling of the face, arms, or legs;
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing;
- severe and sudden onset of complications;
- pinkish, itchy swellings on the skin, also called hives;
- shortness of breath (shortness of breath, heart failure).
These hypersensitivity reactions can be very serious side effects. Urgent medical attention or hospitalization may be required. But such side effects are very rare.
Additional side effects that may occur while taking the drug include:
- eyelash loss;
- skin lightening.
Their occurrence should be reported to your doctor. The drug can be stored in the refrigerator, without freezing. Storage in places that are dirty, damp, poorly ventilated, etc. should be avoided at all costs.
In certain cases, it is possible to replace Tobrex with gentamicin, but the decision about this possibility must be made by the doctor. Preparations intended for the treatment of eye infections containing tobramycin as an active substance are also known under the names Tobrimed, Tobrin or Tobrosopt.
There is no evidence that Tobrex drops are addictive.
