Key takeaways
Tobrex (tobramycin) and Besivance (besifloxacin) are both prescription eye drops used to treat bacterial eye infections, but they belong to different classes of antibiotics. Tobrex is an aminoglycoside antibiotic available in both brand-name and generic forms, while Besivance is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic and is only available as a brand-name medication. Tobrex can be used for people as young as 2 months old and comes in both eye drop and ointment forms, whereas Besivance is approved for use in children 1 year and older and is only available as eye drops. Tobrex is typically used multiple times per day, with the frequency depending on the severity of the infection, while Besivance is used three times per day for 7 days. Common side effects of Tobrex include eyelid itching, swelling, and eye redness, whereas Besivance may cause temporary eye redness or irritation. Both medications should be used for the full prescribed duration to prevent the infection from returning or becoming harder to treat.
