The Best Ear Infection Treatments: Antibiotics and OTC Medications
Many ear infections resolve on their own, but sometimes you’ll need medication. See the best ear infection treatments, including antibiotics and home remedies.
neomycin / polymyxin b / hydrocortisone
Used for Bacterial Infection, Ear Infection, Eye Infection, Eye Inflammation
Used for Bacterial Infection, Ear Infection, Eye Infection, Eye Inflammation
Cortisporin eye drops are used to treat bacterial eye infection and help relieve symptoms like swelling. They contain two antibiotics (neomycin and polymyxin B) and a steroid (hydrocortisone). Adults use 1 or 2 drops in the affected eye(s) every 3 or 4 hours. Side effects can include itchy, swollen, or red eyes. Brand name Cortisporin is no longer available, but generic versions of the eye drop are.
Note: Cortisporin is also available as an ear drop.
What is Cortisporin eye drops?
What is Cortisporin eye drops used for?
- Eye inflammation with a bacterial infection or risk of infection
How Cortisporin eye drops works
Cortisporin eye drops work as a combination of three medications.
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Neomycin is an antibiotic. It kills bacteria by blocking them from making proteins they need to survive.
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Polymyxin B is another type of antibiotic. It kills bacteria by damaging their protective covering.
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Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid. When used in the eye, it helps lower inflammation. This helps relieve symptoms like pain, redness, and swelling.
When does Cortisporin eye drops start working?Time passed since treatment started:
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Cortisporin |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Antibiotic / Corticosteroid |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Cortisporin eye drops
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
- Eye irritation (itchy eye, red eye, swelling)
Less Common Side Effects
- Slowed eye healing
Cortisporin eye drops serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe allergic reactions: swollen eyelids, red or itchy eyes, shortness of breath
- Serious eye problem: blind spots in side vision, vision loss, blurry vision, eye pain, more watery eyes than usual
The following Cortisporin eye drops 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 immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Itching, skin rash, redness, swelling, or other signs of irritation in or around the ear not present before the use of this medicine
Rare
Stinging and burning feeling in the middle ear
Incidence not known
Blood in the urine
change in the frequency of urination or amount of urine
difficulty in breathing
dizziness
drowsiness
feeling of fullness in the ears
increased thirst
loss of appetite
loss of balance
loss of hearing
ringing or buzzing in the ears
swelling of the feet or lower legs
trouble in hearing
vomiting
weakness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
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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$104.99
GoodRx discount
$30.84
Pros and cons of Cortisporin eye drops
Pros
- Treats eye inflammation and bacterial infection at the same time
- Combines three medications in one eye drop
Cons
- Needs to be used several times a day
- Might need eye pressure checks with longer use
Pharmacist tips for Cortisporin eye drops
- Use Cortisporin eye drops for the full amount of time your prescriber tells you to. Don't stop treatment early, even if your eye gets better. Stopping too soon can cause the infection to come back or become worse.
- Tell your prescriber if your eye inflammation gets worse or doesn't improve within 2 days of using Cortisporin eye drops. They might need to check your eye again.
- You might need an eye exam if you use Cortisporin eye drops for more than 10 days or need more than 2 bottles. This medication can raise the pressure in your eyes, especially with longer use. Your prescriber or eye specialist will check your eye pressure to make sure the eye drops are still safe for you.
How to use Cortisporin eye drops:
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Shake the Cortisporin eye drops bottle well before each time you use it. The medication can settle at the bottom.
- Pull down your lower eyelid and hold the Cortisporin eye drops bottle above your eye. Squeeze the prescribed number of drops into your eye. Then, close your eye and gently press the inner corner near your nose for 1 minute. This helps keep the medication in your eye instead of leaking into your tear duct.
- Don't let the bottle tip touch your eye, eyelid, or other surfaces. Also don't touch the tip with your fingers. This helps keep the eye drops from getting germs in ithold the tip by your fingers, or other surfaces. Doing so can contaminate the medication and cause serious harm to the eye, such as vision loss.
- If you use another eye drop in the same eye as Cortisporin, wait at least 5 minutes between them. This helps keep one eye drop from washing out the other.
Risks and warnings for Cortisporin eye drops
Cortisporin eye drops 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.
High eye pressure
- Risk factors: Using Cortisporin eye drops for more than 10 days | History of glaucoma
Using steroid eye drops like Cortisporin for a long time can raise the pressure in your eye. Very high eye pressure can damage your eye and lead to vision loss. Tell your prescriber if you have glaucoma or high eye pressure before starting Cortisporin eye drops.
If you need to use Cortisporin eye drops for 10 days or longer, your prescriber will likely have you get your eye pressure checked regularly. Tell your care team right away if you have eye pain, blurry vision, or blind spots in your side vision. This could be signs of high eye pressure.
Other eye problems
- Risk factors: Using Cortisporin eye drops for more than 10 days | History of cataracts
Cortisporin eye drops can sometimes cause other eye problems, especially with longer use. They can make the cornea (the clear front part of your eye) thinner. Rarely, this can cause serious eye damage. Cortisporin eye drops can raise the risk of cataracts. Tell your care team or eye specialist right away if you have vision loss, blurry vision, eye pain, or more watery eyes than usual.
If you've recently had cataract surgery, tell your eye surgeon before using Cortisporin eye drops. Steroid eye drops can slow healing and raise the risk of problems after surgery.
Other eye infections
- Risk factors: Using Cortisporin eye drops for more than 10 days
Using Cortisporin eye drops for a long time can raise your risk of other eye infections, including fungal or viral eye infections. Don't use Cortisporin eye drops if you have a viral eye infection because it can make the infection worse. Tell your prescriber if you have eye pain or redness, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, or watery discharge from your eye. These can be signs of another eye infection.
Allergic reaction to topical antibiotics
Tell your prescriber before using Cortisporin eye drops if you have an allergy to antibiotics, such as gentamicin (Gentak), streptomycin, or paromomycin. Watch for signs of an allergic reaction, such as swollen eyelids or red, itchy eyes. Stop using Cortisporin eye drops and tell your prescriber if these symptoms happen. These reactions often go away on their own after you stop using the medication.
An allergy might also be a reason your eye isn't getting better. Tell your prescriber if your symptoms improve after a few days of treatment.
Cortisporin eye drops dosage
The average cost for 1 ear dropper of 10ml of Cortisporin eye drops is $30.84 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 70.63% off the average retail price of $104.99.
Interactions between Cortisporin eye drops and other drugs
Cortisporin eye drops may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Cortisporin eye drops. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.
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. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
How much does Cortisporin eye drops cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Cortisporin eye drops (generic)
$30.84
Cortisporin eye drops 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 Cortisporin eye drops will not be safe for you to take.
- Viral eye infections
- Mycobacterial or fungal eye infections
What are alternatives to Cortisporin eye drops?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Cortisporin eye drops. Compare a few possible alternatives below.
News about Cortisporin eye drops
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