Zirgan, also known by its generic name ganciclovir, is an antiviral eye drop medication. It's used to treat herpetic keratitis or dendritic ulcer, which is an eye infection due to herpes simplex virus (HSV). Zirgan (ganciclovir) is approved for adults and children 2 years and older. It comes as a gel that's placed as a drop directly into the affected eye(s). The dosage is typically taken every 3 hours while awake, then 3 times per day for a week after the eye heals. The most common side effects are blurry vision and eye irritation.
Eye infection due to herpes simplex virus (herpetic keratitis) in people ages 2 years and older
Zirgan (ganciclovir) is an antiviral medication. It works by stopping herpes simplex virus (HSV) from making genetic material (DNA). This prevents the virus from making copies of itself and spreading.
Source:Ā DailyMed
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
Blurred vision
red, sore eyes
Less common
Painful irritation of the clear front part of the eye
redness of the white part of eyes or inside of the eyelids
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.
Few side effects
Approved for children as young as 2 years old
Need to use every 3 hours while awake until the eye heals
Not known whether it's safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding
Make sure to use Zirgan (ganciclovir) for the full amount of time your prescriber told you to, even if your eye starts to get better. Stopping Zirgan (ganciclovir) too soon can cause your infection to come back and possibly be harder to treat.
Carefully review how to use the Zirgan (ganciclovir) eye drops. Contact your prescriber or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Wash your hands before you put Zirgan (ganciclovir) drops in your eye. Don't touch the bottle tip with your fingers, and don't let the tip touch your eye or any other surface. This helps you avoid eye infections from using medication that's been contaminated with germs.
To put the eye drops into your eye, tilt your head back and look up. Then, gently pull your lower eyelid down with one hand to form a pocket. Using the other hand, take the Zirgan (ganciclovir) bottle, hold it upside down above your eye, and squeeze a drop of medication into the eye. Then, close your eye and lightly press one finger to the inner corner of your eye by the nose for 1 minute.
If you need to use other eye drop medications in addition to Zirgan (ganciclovir), wait at least 5 minutes between each medication. This lets your eye fully absorb each medication.
Let your care team know if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. It's not known how safe Zirgan (ganciclovir) during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because it hasn't been studied. Your care team can discuss with you about the risks and benefits of using this medication while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Store the Zirgan (ganciclovir) bottle at room temperature (up to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Don't put the medication in the refrigerator or freezer.
Zirgan (ganciclovir) 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.
Since Zirgan (ganciclovir) is an eye drop medication, you should only place the medication onto the surface of the eye. Don't put Zirgan (ganciclovir) in your mouth, ears, or any other place on your body.
Don't wear contact lenses while you're using Zirgan (ganciclovir). It's also generally a good idea to avoid wearing your contacts when you have an eye infection so that your eye can heal and so that your eye doesn't get even more irritated. Your prescriber will let you know when the infection is gone and when it's safe to wear contact lenses again.
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
5g of 0.15% | 1 bottle | $462.83 | $462.83 |
The typical dose is 1 drop in the infected eye five times per day (about every 3 hours while you're awake). Once your eye heals, the dose gets lowered to 1 drop in the infected eye three times per day for 7 more days.
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.
Eye infection due to herpes simplex virus (herpetic keratitis) in people ages 2 years and older
Inflammation caused by herpes infections in the eye
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