Are your eyes red, itchy, or burning? Or do you have a yellow discharge? When you see a doctor at a time like this, he or she may diagnose you with a bacterial eye infection and prescribe eye drops. Today, we'll talk about one such commonly used drug, Levofloxacin. There are a few important things you need to know about using it.
What is Levofloxacin?
Simply put, Levofloxacin is an antibiotic that is used in the eyes. To be precise, it belongs to a group of drugs called quinolone antibiotics. Its main function is to treat bacterial infections in your eyes. This medicine does this by killing the bacteria and stopping the infection from spreading.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that this medicine only works for bacterial infections . It will not cure eye infections caused by viruses (such as some types of eye infections). Therefore, it is not recommended to use this medicine without a proper prescription from a doctor.
Things to tell your doctor before using the medicine
It is very important for your doctor to know your complete medical history before prescribing this medication. Therefore, be sure to tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:
- If you are a contact lens wearer.
- If you have previously had an allergic reaction to Levofloxacin or other similar fluoroquinolone medications.
- If you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
- If you are a pregnant mother , or if you are expecting a baby soon.
- If you are a breastfeeding mother .
Based on this information, it will be easier for the doctor to decide whether this medication is right for you or not.
How exactly do you use this medicine?
This medicine is for putting in the eyes, not drinking. So you need to be very careful when using it. Here's the correct way to do it.
1. Wash your hands: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after applying the medicine. This is very important to prevent the spread of infection.
2. Preparation: Sit in a chair or lie down on a bed, tilting your head back slightly.
3. Eyelid pull: With your index finger, gently pull your lower eyelid down. This will create a small pouch-like space between your eye and eyelid.
4. Putting the medicine: Now, carefully put the number of drops the doctor told you to put into the bag you made, without touching the tip of the dropper to your eyes, fingertips, or anywhere else . If the tip of the bottle touches anything, it can transfer germs to the medicine inside the bottle.
5. Closing the eye: After applying the medication, slowly close your eye and hold it closed for about a minute. Do not close your eye tightly. Closing it slowly helps the medication spread throughout the eye.
6. Wipe away excess drops: If there are any extra drops of medication that have gotten around the eye, wipe them away with a clean tissue.
Your vision may be a little blurry for a while after applying the medication. This is normal, don't worry.
Two very important things!
- Take your medication on time: Take your medication at the prescribed intervals, as prescribed by your doctor.
- Complete the course: This is the most important thing! Even if your eye problem seems to be getting better after two or three days, do not stop using the medicine for any reason until you have completed the number of days prescribed by your doctor . If you do, the infection may not be completely cured and may recur.
Things to be careful about when using the medicine
| Opportunity | What to do |
|---|---|
| If symptoms do not improve | If the pain does not subside after two or three days of using the medication, or if the condition worsens, inform your doctor immediately. |
| If sensitive to light | If you experience light sensitivity when using the medication, wear a pair of sunglasses. |
| Contact Lenses | Do not wear contact lenses as long as there is no sign of an eye infection. Ask your doctor when you can wear them again. |
| Allergies | If you notice any signs of an allergy, such as skin rash, itching, swelling of the eyes, lips, tongue, or face, stop using the medicine immediately and see a doctor. |
What to do if you miss a dose of medication?
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the scheduled time. Never take a double dose.
What if the medicine is used too much?
If you think you have accidentally taken too much of this medicine, immediately call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital , or go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital.
Possible side effects
Like any medicine, this one can cause minor side effects in some people.
| Side effects that should be reported to your doctor immediately | |
|---|---|
| Allergies | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. |
| Worsening of eye condition | Eye pain, redness, inflammation, or increased discharge/watery discharge. |
| Things that are usually not serious, but should be reported to the doctor if they persist | |
| Blurred vision | Temporary blurred vision after applying the medication (this usually goes away after a while). |
| Change in taste | Feeling a change in the taste of the mouth. |
| Headache | Slight headache. |
| Minor eye inflammation | Minor burning or discomfort when the medicine is applied. |
If you experience any other unusual symptoms not mentioned on this list, talk to your doctor about them as well.
Take-Home Message
- Levofloxacin is a medicine that is only used to treat bacterial infections. Do not use it without a doctor's prescription.
- Use the medicine for the full number of days prescribed by the doctor. Do not stop halfway just because the pain has subsided.
- Do not let the mouth of the medicine bottle touch your eyes, fingers, or anywhere else.
- If your symptoms do not improve in 2-3 days or if they worsen, tell your doctor immediately.
- If you notice signs of an allergy (redness, swelling), do not use the medicine again and see a doctor.
- Store the medicine bottle at room temperature, out of the reach of children.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න