erythromycin
Erythromycin eye ointment is used to treat and prevent various bacterial eye infections, including pink eye in newborns. The typical dosage for this medication is to apply it in the affected eye(s) up to 6 times a day. Most people experience few to no side effects while using erythromycin eye ointment as directed.
What is Erythromycin eye ointment?
What is Erythromycin eye ointment used for?
- Bacterial eye infection
- To prevent pink eye (conjunctivitis) in newborns who might be exposed to certain sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) from their mothers during birth
How Erythromycin eye ointment works
Erythromycin eye ointment is a macrolide antibiotic. It stops the growth of bacteria by preventing them from making proteins that they need to survive.
Drug facts
Side effects of Erythromycin eye ointment
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Mild eye irritations
- Eye redness
Erythromycin eye ointment serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe allergic reaction: swollen eyelids, redness, itching, rash, shortness of breath
The following Erythromycin eye ointment side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Eye irritation not present before therapy
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Erythromycin eye ointment
Pros
- Available as a lower-cost generic medication
- Applied directly where the infection is (in the eye)
- Can use in newborns
- Generally well-tolerated with mild side effects
Cons
- Might need to be used up to 6 times a day
- Only treats some bacterial eye infections; it doesn't treat fungal or viral infections
- Harder to apply than eye drops
- Can temporarily cause blurry vision after application
Pharmacist tips for Erythromycin eye ointment
- Make sure to follow your provider's instruction before using erythromycin eye ointment for yourself or for your child. Doing so can help you use this medication safely.
- Use erythromycin eye ointment as directed by your provider. Don't stop using it before you complete treatment, even if you feel better. If you stop using erythromycin eye ointment too soon, your infection might come back or become harder to treat.
- Don't let the tip of the tube touch the eye, eyelid, fingers, or other surfaces. Doing so can contaminate the medication and cause serious harm to the eye, such as infection and vision loss.
- Don't use erythromycin eye ointment while wearing contact lenses. Putting the medication on top of your contact lenses might cause your lenses to move, or it might coat your lenses and make your vision blurry. In general, it's best not to wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection to prevent your infection from getting worse or your eye from getting even more irritated. Your provider will let you know when it's safe to wear contacts again.
- To prevent new or worsening bacterial eye infections, wash your hands with soap and water often, as well as before and after using erythromycin eye ointment.
- Don't touch your eyes after you come into contact with someone with an infection without washing your hands first. Also don't share personal items, like pillows, towels, and eye drops, with them. Throw away and replace any eye or face makeup products and disposable contact lenses you used while your eyes were infected.
- Talk with your provider if your eye inflammation gets worse after starting erythromycin eye ointment. Your provider can check your eyes to make sure the medication is working and isn't causing side effects.
- Erythromycin eye ointment can temporarily blur your vision. Don't drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects your vision and until you can see clearly.
- If erythromycin eye ointment is being used in a newborn to prevent pink eye due to STIs, your newborn will most likely receive this medication at the hospital. Don't wipe off the medication from your baby's eyes after application. This can cause the medication to not be fully absorbed.
- If you have a history of STIs, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, tell your provider before your delivery. Your newborn might need antibiotics in addition to erythromycin eye ointment to prevent pink eye.
Common questions about Erythromycin eye ointment
No, erythromycin isn't a penicillin; it's a macrolide antibiotic. If you're allergic to penicillin antibiotics, erythromycin eye ointment might be a safer option for you to use. But if you're allergic to medications such as azithromycin (Zithromax) or clarithromycin, talk to your provider first before using erythromycin eye ointment, since these medications are very similar. Stop using erythromycin eye ointment if you experience swollen eyelids, redness, itching, rash, shortness of breath.
No, erythromycin eye ointment isn't a sulfa medication, so it won't trigger a sulfa allergic reaction. It's a macrolide antibiotic, similar to azithromycin (Zithromax). If you've had an allergic reaction to macrolide antibiotics, such as swollen eyelids or red, itchy eyes, tell your provider. Contact your provider if your eye doesn't improve after a couple days of using the medication.
Erythromycin eye ointment should be used for as long as directed by your provider to treat your infection, up to its expiration date. It's best to take it to a medication drop-off site for expired medications. Don't keep leftover erythromycin eye ointment around to use later. Your eyes can get re-infected if your applicator got contaminated with bacteria. Erythromycin eye ointment also might not be the right medication to treat the type of infection you have next time. Each time you think you have an eye infection, you should see your provider so they can give you the correct treatment.
If you're applying it to yourself, first tilt your head forward. Then, pull down your lower eyelid with one hand, and hold the tube of ointment with the other. Place a small amount of ointment in the space between your eyelid and eyeball. Rotate the tube to free the ointment. Look down before closing your eye for 1 to 2 minutes to help the medication reach all the necessary parts of the eye. If you're applying it to a child, have your child lie down and ask them to look up. Then rest the hand holding erythromycin eye ointment on the child's forehead. Once you pull down the lower eyelid with your other hand, apply the medication along the lower eyelid. Afterwards, ask your child to close or blink their eyes for a minute to spread the medication throughout the eye.
You should use erythromycin eye ointment as instructed by your provider, even if your eye starts to get better. If you stop using erythromycin eye ointment too soon, your infection might come back or become harder to treat.
Erythromycin eye ointment can be used to treat pink eye (conjunctivitis) only if it's caused by a bacterial infection. Symptoms of bacterial pink eye include eyelid crusting in the morning; thick eye discharge that's green, yellow, or white; eye discharge that builds up at the corner of the eye. Keep in mind that about half of the time, bacterial pink eye goes away on its own after 2 or 3 weeks. You can use a cold compress and artificial tears in the meanwhile to help relieve symptoms. If you'd like to clear the infection sooner, ask your provider for an antibiotic treatment, such as erythromycin eye ointment.
Most of the time, a stye will go away on its own without any medication. To help it heal, consider using a warm compress on the affected eye(s) for about 15 minutes, 3 or 4 times daily. This helps drain the stye. You can also use an eyelid scrub, which helps get rid of any dead skin cell buildup or other buildup that can block your eyelid glands. But if your stye doesn't get better after a week, or it becomes very swollen or looks infected even after trying these suggestions, see your provider right away. They can recommend other treatments for you, which might include antibiotics similar to erythromycin eye ointment.
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Risks and warnings for Erythromycin eye ointment
Erythromycin eye ointment can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Only use on eye surface
Erythromycin eye ointment should only be used on the surface of the eye. Don't put erythromycin eye ointment in your mouth, nose, or other parts of your body.
New or worsened eye infections
- Risk factors: Using erythromycin eye ointment longer than prescribed
Using erythromycin eye ointment long-term can raise the risk of other eye infections, such as fungal eye infections. Don't use erythromycin eye ointment if you have a viral eye infection because it can make your infection worse. Let your provider know if you have eye pain or redness, blurry vision, light sensitivity, or watery discharge from your eye, or if your symptoms don't improve after a couple days of treatment. These can be signs and symptoms of a new eye infection.
Allergic reaction to antibiotics
Tell your provider before using erythromycin eye ointment if you've a history of allergy to antibiotics, such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) or azithromycin (Zithromax). Watch out for signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, such as swollen eyelids or red or itchy eyes. Stop using erythromycin eye ointment and tell your provider if you have these signs and symptoms.
Erythromycin eye ointment dosage
Tube of ointment| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5g of 0.5% | 1 tube | $11.29 | $11.29 |
| 1g of 0.5% | 4 tubes | $12.55 | $3.14 |
Typical dosage for Erythromycin eye ointment
- Treatment of eye infection: The typical dose is to put 1 centimeter of ointment in the affected eye(s) up to 6 times a day, depending on how serious the infection is.
- Prevention of pink eye in newborns: The typical dose is to put 1 cm (0.4 inch) of ointment in both eyes one time only.
Interactions between Erythromycin eye ointment and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
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