Introduction

Being an aminoglycoside antibiotic, Tobramycin is used for treating infections caused by certain bacteria. It kills sensitive bacteria. It is available in the ophthalmic solution under the brand name of Tobrex. The Tobrex and dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension contains tobramycin and dexamethasone as active ingredients and tyloxapol, edetate disodium, sodium chloride, hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium sulfate, sulfuric acid and/or sodium hydroxide and purified water as inactive ingredients.

Drug Indications

Tobramycin Ophthalmic Solution is indicated for treating inflammatory conditions of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea. It is also indicated for patients suffering from chronic anterior uveitis and corneal injury caused from chemical, radiation or thermal burns, or penetration of foreign bodies.

Dosage & Administration

Before administering the Tobrex Ophthalmic Solution, you must wash your hands properly. Now, slightly keep your head tilted towards the back and carefully pull your lower eyelid down to make a pocket between your eye and eyelid. Placing the bottle on the bridge of your nose or your forehead, squeeze the medication into the eye, but be careful that the applicator tip should not touch your eye or any other surface. Close your eyes and keep them closed for one to two minutes.

The usual recommended dosage of the ophthalmic solution eye drop is one to two drops which may be instilled into the eyes at intervals of four or six hours. The dosage may be increased to one or two drops every two hours, during initial 24 to 48 hours of administration. The initial dosage should not be more than 20 ml.

Side Effects

The most frequent adverse reactions of Tobramycin Ophthalmic Solution Eye Drop are similar to that of any other aminoglycoside antibiotics and include symptoms of lid itching and swelling, and conjunctival erythema. Rare cases have evidenced secondary infections as side effects of the ophthalmic solution. Whatever the side effects may be, their continuous persistence should be reported to your doctor or physician.

Drug Interactions

Tobrex is interactive with cephaloridine, loop diuretics, polymyxin B and colistin and concomitant usage of it with these drugs have resulted in increased risk of kidney or hearing loss. Beta-lactam antibiotics are suspected to decrease the effectiveness of the medicine. The side effects of nondepolarizing muscle relaxants are increased by it.

Its concomitant usage with other systemic aminoglycoside antibiotics leads to elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) with possible development of glaucoma, and infrequent optic nerve damage; posterior subcapsular cataract formation; and delayed wound healing. Any persistent of corneal ulceration should be immediately informed to your doctor and adequate steps should be taken to avoid it.

Drug Contraindications

Tobrex is contradicted with persons having epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, varicella, and many other viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva. Individuals suffering from mycobacterial infection of the eye should not be administered with this ophthalmic solution. Persons who are suffering from any kind of fungal disease of ocular structures should not be treated with this medicine. Along with all the above said persons, persons or individuals who have developed hypersensitivity to Tobramycin or any other component of the ophthalmic solution are contradicted from using it.