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Compare Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

TobraDex (tobramycin/dexamethasone) and Maxitrol (neomycin/polymyxin B/dexamethasone) are both prescription eye medications used to treat bacterial eye infections and reduce inflammation. TobraDex combines an aminoglycoside antibiotic (tobramycin) with a corticosteroid (dexamethasone), while Maxitrol combines two antibiotics (neomycin and polymyxin B) with the same corticosteroid. Both medications are available as eye drops and eye ointments and need to be used multiple times a day. Both medications are available in a lower-cost generic form. TobraDex and Maxitrol can both cause increased eye pressure if used for more than 10 days, but Maxitrol has an additional risk of causing allergic reactions due to neomycin. Both medications should not be used for viral, fungal, or mycobacterial eye infections.

  • Tobradex (tobramycin / dexamethasone)
    Maxitrol
  • Tobradex (tobramycin / dexamethasone)
    Maxitrol

  • Summary of Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

    Summary for Aminoglycoside antibiotic / Corticosteroid
    Prescription only

    TobraDex (tobramycin / dexamethasone) is available as eye drops and an eye ointment. It's used to treat and relieve bacterial eye infections. This medication contains tobramycin (an aminoglycoside antibiotic that helps fight the infection) and dexamethasone (a corticosteroid that helps lower eye inflammation). Most people have few to no side effects from the medication when they use it as directed. But the medication can raise your eye pressure if you use it for more than 10 days.

    Summary for Antibiotic / Corticosteroid
    Prescription only

    Maxitrol is an eye drop medication and eye ointment that's used to treat and relieve bacterial eye infections. Maxitrol is a combination medication — it contains two antibiotics (neomycin and polymyxin B) and a corticosteroid (dexamethasone). The antibiotics help fight the infection, while the corticosteroid helps lessen eye inflammation. Maxitrol typically has few to no side effects when it's used as directed, but it's usually used multiple times throughout the day.

  • Indications of Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

    Indications for
    •Eye inflammation from a bacterial infection in the eye
    •Eye inflammation when there's a risk for a bacterial infection in the eye
    Indications for
    •Eye inflammation from a bacterial infection in the eye
    •Eye inflammation when there's a risk for a bacterial infection in the eye

  • Pros and Cons of Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

    Pros and Const for Aminoglycoside antibiotic / Corticosteroid
    Pros
    •Relieves eye inflammation and treats bacterial eye infection at the same time
    •Combines two medications into one eye product for convenience
    •Applied directly where the infection is (in the eye)
    •Is safe and work wells for children as young as 2 years old
    •Eye drops are available as a lower-cost generic
    Cons
    •Need to use multiple times a day
    •Must shake the eye drop bottle before each use, which can be easy to forget
    •Can cause eye irritation or allergic reactions for some people
    •Requires an eye exam after 10 days of use to check your eye pressure
    •Only treats some bacterial eye infections; it doesn't treat fungal or viral infections
    Pros and Const for Antibiotic / Corticosteroid
    Pros
    •Relieves eye inflammation and treats bacterial eye infection at the same time
    •Combines three medications into one eye product for convenience
    •Can usually start to see improvement after 2 days of use
    •Available as a lower-cost generic
    Cons
    •Need to use multiple times a day
    •Can cause temporary blurry vision
    •Requires an eye exam to check your eye pressure if you need to use for more than 10 days
    •Only treats some bacterial eye infections; it doesn't treat fungal or viral infections

  • Common Side Effects of Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

    Common Side Effects for
    •Eye irritation
    •Eye redness
    •Itchy eyelids
    •Swollen eyelids
    Common Side Effects for
    •Eye irritation

  • Warnings of Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

    Common Side Effects for
    •Only use on the surface of the eye
    •Higher eye pressure
    •New or worsened eye infections
    •New eye problems (e.g., injury, cataracts)
    •Possible allergic reaction
    Common Side Effects for
    •Only use on the surface of the eye
    •Higher eye pressure
    •New or worsened eye infections
    •New eye problems (e.g., injury, cataracts)
    •Possible allergic reaction

  • Prices with our coupons for Tobradex vs. Maxitrol

    Learn more about Tobradex
    Learn more about Maxitrol

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