Optrex infected eyes drops contain the active ingredient chloramphenicol, which is a type of antibiotic medicine. Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Chloramphenicol is known as an all-purpose antibiotic that is quite effective against infections caused by a wide variety of bacteria.
Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is the most common type of eye infection. Optrex Infected Eyes contains an antibiotic called chloramphenicol which, when applied topically, treats the infections that effect the eyes surface. Symptoms of acute conjunctivitis include the whites of your eyes becoming red, swollen eye lids and a pale discharge. Eyes can also feel "gritty", often resulting in difficulty to open eyes.
Chloramphenicol is administered into the eye to treat a type of eye infection called bacterial conjunctivitis, which can be caused by different types of bacteria. Putting the medicine directly into the eye allows the chloramphenicol to act directly on the bacteria that are causing the infection.
Chloramphenicol works by preventing bacteria from producing proteins that are essential for their growth. Without these proteins the bacteria cannot grow, replicate or increase in numbers. Therefore, Chloramphenicol controls the numbers of bacteria causing an infection, as well as the remaining bacteria die or is killed by the body's immune system.
If you are using the drops, one drop should be administered into the infected eye every two hours for the first two days, then every four hours for the next three days. Use the drops only during waking hours.
Adults and children aged 2 years and over: Put 1 drop in the infected eye every 2 hours for the first 48 hours and every 4 hours thereafter. Use during waking hours only. The course of treatment is for 5 days but patients who do not notice an improvement within 48 hours should consult their doctor.
Caution: Keep refrigerated. Not recommended for patients with a family history of blood dyscrasias, recent conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, concurrent eye medication, contact lens wearers, glaucoma, eye surgery during the last six months or eye injury