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 drop is used to treat and relieve signs and symptoms of a bacterial eye infection in adults. It contains two antibiotics (neomycin and polymyxin B) and a steroid (hydrocortisone). The usual dosage is 1 to 2 drops in the affected eye(s) every 3 to 4 hours. Side effects include itchy, swollen, or red eyes. This medication is only available as a lower-cost generic.
Cortisporin is also available as an ear drop.
What is Cortisporin eye drop?
What is Cortisporin eye drop used for?
- Eye inflammation caused by or at risk of a bacterial infection
How Cortisporin eye drop works
Cortisporin eye drop is a combination of three medications:
- Neomycin is an antibiotic. It kills bacteria by preventing them from making proteins that they need to survive.
- Polymyxin B is another antibiotic. It kills bacteria by destroying the bacteria's protective covering.
- Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid. When used in the eye, it helps lower inflammation, which includes symptoms like pain, redness, and swelling.
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 drop
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
Less Common Side Effects
- Slowed eye healing
Cortisporin eye drop 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
- High eye pressure: blind spots in side vision, vision loss, eye pain
The following Cortisporin eye drop 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.
Get your GoodRx coupon
$104.99
GoodRx discount
$30.84
Pros and cons of Cortisporin eye drop
Pros
- Treats eye inflammation and bacterial infection at the same time
- Conveniently combines three medications into one eye drop
- Generally has few side effects
- Available as a lower-cost generic medication
Cons
- Has a risk of getting other eye infections
- Needs to be used multiple times a day
- Doesn't treat fungal or viral infections
- Eye exam needed after 10 days of use to check eye pressure
Pharmacist tips for Cortisporin eye drop
- Since Cortisporin eye drop is an eye suspension, shake it before using it to mix the medication well. This will make sure the medication hasn’t settled at the bottom of the bottle.
- Don't let the tip of the Cortisporin eye drop bottle touch the eye, eyelid, fingers, or other surfaces. Doing so can contaminate the medication and cause serious harm to the eye, such as vision loss.
- If you need to use another eye drop with Cortisporin eye drop in the same eye, wait at least 5 minutes so the second eye drop doesn't rinse off the first one.
- Use Cortisporin eye drop as directed by your prescriber. Don't stop using before you complete treatment, even if you feel better. If you stop using Cortisporin eye drop too soon, your infection might come back stronger.
- If you need more than 2 bottles of Cortisporin eye drop or if you need to use this medication more than 10 days, your prescriber or eye specialist will need to check your eyes to make sure this medication is appropriate and safe for you.
- Talk with your prescriber if your eye inflammation gets worse or lasts more than 2 days. They can check your eyes to make sure Cortisporin eye drop is working as it should.
How to use Cortisporin eye drop:
- Pull down your lower eyelid with one hand and hold the bottle upside down above your eye. Then squeeze the number of drops needed for your dose.
- Close your eye, then press down with your finger on the inner corner of your eye near your nose for one minute to keep the medication in place and prevent it from leaking.
Risks and warnings for Cortisporin eye drop
Cortisporin eye drop 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 drop for more than 10 days | History of glaucoma
Using topical steroid medications like Cortisporin eye drop long term can cause high eye pressure that can damage the eye and cause vision loss. If you have glaucoma or high eye pressure, talk with your prescriber about the benefits and risks of using Cortisporin eye drop. Your prescriber will check your eye pressure to make sure it's safe for you, especially if you're using this medication for more than 10 days. Talk with your care team immediately if you experience signs and symptoms of high eye pressure, such as eye pain, blurry vision, or blind spots in your side vision.
Other eye infections
- Risk factors: Using Cortisporin eye drop for more than 10 days
Using Cortisporin eye drop long term can raise the risk of other eye infections, such as fungal or viral eye infections. Don't use Cortisporin eye drop if you have a viral eye infection because it can make your infection worse. Talk with your prescriber if you have eye pain or redness, blurry vision, light sensitivity, or watery discharge from your eye. These can be signs and symptoms of a viral or fungal eye infection.
New eye problems
- Risk factors: History of cataract
Using Cortisporin eye drop might cause your cornea (the "whites" of the eye) to thin. Sometimes, this can lead to eye damage. In addition, Cortisporin eye drop can cause cataracts to form. If you have vision loss, blurry vision, eye pain, or your eye is more watery than usual, please seek medical attention right away.
Using Cortisporin eye drop after a cataract surgery might also slow down the healing process and raise the risk of fluid buildup in the eye. If you’ve just had cataract surgery and are experiencing eye problems, talk with your eye surgeon right away.
Allergic reaction to topical antibiotics
Tell your prescriber before using Cortisporin eye drop if you have a history of allergy to antibiotics, such as gentamicin (Gentak), streptomycin, and paromomycin. Watch out for signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, such as swollen eyelids or red or itchy eyes. Stop using Cortisporin eye drop and tell your prescriber if you have these signs and symptoms. Oftentimes, these reactions go away on their own once you stop the medication.
You might also be allergic to Cortisporin eye drop if your infection symptoms don't get better after a while. Speak with your prescriber if your eye doesn't improve after a couple days of using this medication.
Cortisporin eye drop dosage
The average cost for 1 ear dropper of 10ml of Cortisporin eye drop is $30.84 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 70.63% off the average retail price of $104.99.
Typical dosage for Cortisporin eye drop
The typical starting dose is 1 or 2 drops in the affected eye(s) every 3 or 4 hours. Depending on how serious your condition is, your prescriber might recommend using the eye drops more often.
Interactions between Cortisporin eye drop and other drugs
Cortisporin eye drop 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 drop. 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 drop cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Cortisporin eye drop (generic)
$30.84
Cortisporin eye drop 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 drop will not be safe for you to take.
- Viral eye infections
- Mycobacterial or fungal eye infections
What are alternatives to Cortisporin eye drop?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Cortisporin eye drop. Compare a few possible alternatives below.
News about Cortisporin eye drop
Cortisporin eye drop images
