Zylet
Zylet is a combination eye drop medication that contains two active ingredients: loteprednol and tobramycin. It's approved for use in people 7 years and older to treat bacterial eye infections, like pink eye, and related eye redness and swelling (inflammation). The corticosteroid (or steroid), loteprednol, helps lessen eye inflammation and the aminoglycoside antibiotic, tobramycin, fights off bacteria causing the eye infection. Zylet eye drops are placed directly into the affected eye(s) every 4 to 6 hours. Side effects include eye irritation and headache.
What is Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)?
What is Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) used for?
- Eye inflammation from a bacterial infection in the eye
- Eye inflammation when there's a risk for a bacterial infection in the eye
How Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) works
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) is a combination eye drop containing two medications.
- Loteprednol is a corticosteroid medication. When it's placed in the eye, loteprednol lessens inflammation in the eye. This helps relieve eye itching, swelling, pain, and redness.
- Tobramycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic. It works by stopping bacteria from making certain proteins that they need to survive.
Drug facts
Side effects of Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
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
- Redness and swelling of the cornea of the eye (15%)
- Headache (14%)
- Higher eye pressure (10%)
- Burning and stinging sensation in the eye (9%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Vision problems
- Oozing (discharge) from the eye
- Itchy eye
- Watery eye
- Eye sensitivity to light
- Eye discomfort
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Allergic reaction: hives; trouble breathing; swelling in the face, tongue, or throat
The following Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Eye pain, change in vision, vision loss
- New or worsening eye pain, redness, irritation, or discharge
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Burning or stinging of the eyes after use
- Eye irritation or itching
- Headache
- Sensitivity to light
Get your GoodRx coupon
Pros and cons of Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
Pros
- Relieves eye inflammation and treats the bacteria eye infection at the same time
- Conveniently combines two medications into a single product
- Applied directly to the eyes (where the inflammation and infection is)
Cons
- Need to use multiple times per day
- Might be difficult for some people to use properly
- Not available as a lower-cost generic; brand-name medication only
Pharmacist tips for Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
- Be sure to use Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) for the full amount of time that your prescriber told you to, even if your eye symptoms start getting better. Stopping Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) too soon can cause your infection to come back and be harder to treat.
- Let your prescriber know if your eye symptoms don't start to improve after you've used Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) for 2 days. Your prescriber might consider a different medication to help relieve your symptoms and treat your infection better.
- You'll need to speak with your prescriber first if you finish your prescription of Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) and feel like you need a refill. You'll probably need an eye exam to make sure that the medication is working for you and that it isn't causing side effects (e.g., high eye pressure).
- Don't wear contact lenses while you're using Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin). In general, it's best not to wear contacts while you have an eye infection, since this can affect how quickly your symptoms improve.
- Throw away any contact lenses you were wearing before you started using Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin). These contact lenses most likely have bacteria on them. Wear a new pair of contacts once your infection completely goes away.
- Keep the Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) bottle at room temperature. Don't put it in the refrigerator or freezer.
How to use Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin):
- Wash your hands before and after you put Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) drops in your eyes. Don't let the dropper tip touch your eye or any other surface, and don't touch the tip with your hands. This lowers the risk for contaminating the medication with germs.
- Shake the Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) bottle well before each use.
- Tilt your head backward and look up. Gently pull your bottom eyelid down to make a small pocket. Then, hold the eye drop bottle upside down right above the eye. Squeeze the bottle so that 1 drop of medication falls into the pocket. Don't blink or wipe your eye. Close your eye and press a finger against the inside corner of your eye for about a minute to help keep the medication in your eye.
- If you need to use other eye drop medications in addition to Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin), wait 5 minutes between using each medication. This helps give your eye time to fully absorb each medication.
Common questions about Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
The time it takes for Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) to work can differ depending on how severe your eye inflammation or eye infection is. It might also depend on the type of bacterial eye infection you have. A general recommendation is to contact your prescriber if your eye symptoms don't start to improve after 2 days of starting Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin). Your prescriber can check to see whether there's a different medication that's more appropriate for your symptoms.
Zylet is a combination eye drop that contains a steroid medication called loteprednol as one of its active ingredients. Loteprednol lessens inflammation in the eye to help treat eye itchiness, swelling, pain, and redness. The other active ingredient in Zylet is tobramycin, which is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that kills bacteria that's causing the eye infection.
Yes, Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) is a treatment option for pink eye that's caused by bacteria and if you have eye inflammation symptoms (e.g., itching, redness, swelling). Be sure to contact your prescriber if the medication doesn't appear to be helping your symptoms after a couple of days. This is because pink eye can also be caused by viruses. But since Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) contains an antibiotic and not an antiviral, the medication won't work well to treat pink eye caused by a virus. You might need to use a different medication.
Usually, it's recommended that you treat styes with warm compresses or eyelid scrubs. The stye will typically go away on its own. Contact a healthcare professional if your stye doesn't seem to get better or if it gets worse. They might recommend you to get a prescription for Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) to help treat the stye. Styes are often caused by skin bacteria that get trapped along the eyelid. And the tobramycin antibiotic in Zylet can fight against many bacteria, including common skin bacteria. But don't use Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) for a stye unless a healthcare professional specifically prescribed it to you for this purpose.
No, you can't find Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) over the counter or along the aisles in the pharmacy. You'll need a prescription from a healthcare professional for this eye drop medication.
Yes, you can use Refresh Tears while you're using Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) if you have dry eye. Refresh Tears is one of many brand-name products for artificial tears. Be sure to space out when you place the drops of each product in your eye by 5 to 15 minutes. This makes sure your eye has enough time to absorb each eye product.
Yes, Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) can be used with ofloxacin eye drops (Ocuflox) because there aren't any direct interactions between the two medications. The tobramycin in Zylet and ofloxacin are two different kinds of antibiotics. Your prescriber might decide that you need multiple antibiotics to treat your eye infection if it's severe. Wait 5 to 15 minutes between using each eye drop medication if you're prescribed both Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) and ofloxacin eye drops (Ocuflox) to use. This helps your eye have enough time to absorb each medication.
No, don't use Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) if it's expired because it might not work well to help treat your eye infection. Using expired Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) can also lead to new eye infections if the medication got contaminated with germs. There should be an expiration date that's written on the medication box or eye drop bottle. Let your pharmacist or prescriber know if your Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) supply has expired.
How to save using GoodRx
Risks and warnings for Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) 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.
For use in the eye only
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) is an eye drop medication that you should place on the surface of the eye only. Don't put Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) on or into any other place on your body.
Eye infections and eye problems when used for a long time
- Risk factors: Long-term use | History of glaucoma or cataracts | History of viral infections (including herpes simplex) in the eye | Recent surgery in the cornea
Long-term use of Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) can raise your risk of developing new or worsening eye infections. It also raises your risk for glaucoma, cataracts, and vision problems. If you need to take Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) for a long time (10 days or longer), you'll need regular eye exams to check the health of your eyes. Let your prescriber know if you have any vision changes, eye pain, or new symptoms of an eye infection while you're using this medication.
Slow healing of the eye after an eye procedure
- Risk factors: Recent cataract surgery
Using steroid eye drops like Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) after cataract surgery can slow the healing process in the eye. Let your prescriber know if you've recently had cataract surgery or other type of eye surgery.
Possible eye injury or damage
Steroid eye drops like Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) can also possibly cause eye injury or damage, including thinning of the cornea (the outer layer of your eye). Call your prescriber right away if you notice changes in vision, eye pain, or watery eyes. You might need to get your eyes checked for injury. Speak with your prescriber if you're concerned about this risk.
Don't wear contact lenses
Don't wear contact lenses while you're using Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin). This eye drop medication contains a preservative that can damage contact lenses.
In general, it's recommended that you avoid wearing contact lenses while you have an eye infection (such as pink eye) because it could irritate your eye even more. Throw away any contacts you wore before you started treatment since they might have bacteria on them. Ask your primary care provider or optometrist when it's safe to wear contact lenses again once your infection clears.
Allergic reaction
- Risk factors: Allergy to aminoglycoside antibiotics
Let your prescriber know if you're allergic to aminoglycoside antibiotics like tobramycin. It's possible that you might be allergic to Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) too. Serious allergic reactions can be life-threatening, and they can include reactions like facial swelling, dizziness, and anaphylaxis (e.g., closing of the throat). Get medical help right away if you notice hives, rash, swelling of the lips or tongue, or trouble breathing after you use Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin).
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) dosage
Eye dropper| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5ml of 0.5%/0.3% | 1 eye dropper | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| 2.5ml of 0.5%/0.3% | 1 eye dropper | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| 10ml of 0.5%/0.3% | 1 eye dropper | $25.00 | $25.00 |
Typical dosage for Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
The typical dose is 1 or 2 drops into the affected eye(s) every 4 to 6 hours.
For the first 2 days, your prescriber might tell you to start off by using Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) every 1 to 2 hours, then use the eye drops less often as your symptoms improve.
How much does Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) cost?
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) will not be safe for you to take.
- Use for viral, fungal, or mycobacterial infections in the eye
What are alternatives to Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)?
