How do we use these eye drops?
October 16, 2019 7:41 PM Subscribe
A family member was prescribed tobramycin eye drops for pink eye (currently in one eye) and we're a little confused by the directions. Probably I shouldn't have dismissively said "Eye drops, right?" to the pharmacist when she asked if we needed guidance. It's after hours now so I'm hoping y'all are better at reading than we are.
The label on the eye drops says:
But what instruction is the "effected eye" on line 2 connected to? If that's related to the 24 hours, then when do you stop medicating the clear eye? Anyone?
The label on the eye drops says:
PLACE 1-2 DROPS INTO IN [sic] EACH EYE EVERY 4 HOURS EFFECTED EYE FOR 24 HOURS,DECREASE TO EVERY 6 HOURS FOR 4 DAYS TREAT 2 DAYS PAST CLEARINGIt's pretty clear that the drops go in both the clear and infected eye, that treatment continues 2 days extra, and that you slow down to every 6 hours after doing drops every 4 hours for the first 24.
But what instruction is the "effected eye" on line 2 connected to? If that's related to the 24 hours, then when do you stop medicating the clear eye? Anyone?
The way I read these instructions is that, though all the amounts are "per eye," eye drops go only into the infected eye(s). In other words, someone with both eyes infected should be using twice as much total medicine.
For the first 24 hours, apply every 4 hours. After that first day, continue to apply every six hours for either four additional days, or for two days after your symptoms clear, whichever is shorter.
posted by kickingtheground at 7:53 PM on October 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
For the first 24 hours, apply every 4 hours. After that first day, continue to apply every six hours for either four additional days, or for two days after your symptoms clear, whichever is shorter.
posted by kickingtheground at 7:53 PM on October 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
Best answer: How should I use tobramycin ophthalmic?
Tobramycin ophthalmic is usually given as 1 to 2 drops into the affected eye every 4 hours. For a severe infection, you may need to use 2 drops every hour for a short time before reducing the dose and number of drops per day. Your doctor will tell you how long to keep using the medicine. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Source: https://www.cigna.com/individuals-families/health-wellness/hw/medications/tobramycin-ophthalmic-d03222a1
posted by latch24 at 9:45 PM on October 16, 2019 [4 favorites]
Tobramycin ophthalmic is usually given as 1 to 2 drops into the affected eye every 4 hours. For a severe infection, you may need to use 2 drops every hour for a short time before reducing the dose and number of drops per day. Your doctor will tell you how long to keep using the medicine. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Source: https://www.cigna.com/individuals-families/health-wellness/hw/medications/tobramycin-ophthalmic-d03222a1
posted by latch24 at 9:45 PM on October 16, 2019 [4 favorites]
Not medical advice, but :
What likely happened is the electronic medical record generated an auto-script (in each eye, which as latch24 points out is flat-out wrong for tobra) which your physician tried to modify with free-text but was unable to delete the auto-text. My EMR does this too and it's irritating as hell, not to mention prone to medical errors exactly like this.
Contact the physician to confirm, but absent a human telling you to treat the uninfected eye, do what kickingtheground suggests, except that I would also clarify when to stop, because I read that last instruction as whichever is longer, not shorter.
posted by basalganglia at 2:37 AM on October 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
What likely happened is the electronic medical record generated an auto-script (in each eye, which as latch24 points out is flat-out wrong for tobra) which your physician tried to modify with free-text but was unable to delete the auto-text. My EMR does this too and it's irritating as hell, not to mention prone to medical errors exactly like this.
Contact the physician to confirm, but absent a human telling you to treat the uninfected eye, do what kickingtheground suggests, except that I would also clarify when to stop, because I read that last instruction as whichever is longer, not shorter.
posted by basalganglia at 2:37 AM on October 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. We had a hard time finding good directions online so I'll count latch24 as coming through with the best actionable answer here for our late night question.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 12:33 PM on October 17, 2019
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 12:33 PM on October 17, 2019
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Personally I would probably choose to just do it in the affected eye tonight and talk to a doc ASAP tomorrow to confirm.
posted by muddgirl at 7:50 PM on October 16, 2019 [9 favorites]