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
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What are the side effects of Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)?
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%)
Other Side Effects
- Vision problems
- Oozing (discharge) from the eye
- Itchy eye
- Watery eye
- Eye sensitivity to light
- Eye discomfort
Serious Side Effects
- Allergic reaction: hives; trouble breathing; swelling in the face, tongue, or throat
Source: DailyMed
The following 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
Blurred vision
change in vision
feeling like something is in the eye
increased intraocular pressure
loss of vision
pain or irritation of the clear front part of the eye
sensitivity of the eyes to light
Less common
Blurred vision or seeing blue-green halos around objects
decreased vision
difficulty seeing at night
discharge from the eye
eyelid burning, redness, itching, pain, or tenderness
fast heartbeat
hoarseness
irritation and swelling of the eye
joint pain
lid itching and swelling
pain in the eye
rash
redness of the eyelid
redness of the skin
shortness of breath
stiffness or swelling
swelling of the eyelids, face, lips, hands, or feet
tightness in the chest
troubled breathing or swallowing
Incidence not known
Redness of the eye
tearing
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:
More common
Burning of the eye
headache
increased sensitivity of the eyes to light
stinging of the eye
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.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions about Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)
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What are the 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 forms
Typical dosing 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.
Interactions between Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) 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. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
How much does Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) cost?
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) contraindications
Use for viral, fungal, or mycobacterial infections in the eye
What are alternatives to Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)?
Eye inflammation from a bacterial infection in the eye
Eye inflammation when there's a risk for a bacterial infection in the eye
Inflamed eyes that have a bacterial infection
Inflamed eyes that could become infected with bacteria
Eye inflammation from a bacterial infection in the eye
Eye inflammation when there's a risk for a bacterial infection in the eye
What is the latest news about Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin)?
Zylet (loteprednol / tobramycin) images
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References
Best studies we foundAhn, J., et al. (2021). Binding affinity of benzalkonium chloride on contact lens surfaces and the effects on their physical properties. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. (2024). Tips for administering eye drops.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2016). Cornea.
Bausch & Lomb Incorporated. (2022). Zylet- loteprednol etabonate and tobramycin suspension/ drops [package insert]. DailyMed.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Fungal eye infections basics.
Kheir, W. J., et al. (2015). Nontuberculous mycobacterial ocular infections: A systematic review of the literature. BioMed Research International.
Krause, K. M., et al. (2016). Aminoglycosides: An overview. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine.
SafeMedication. (n.d). How to use eye drops.
Solano, D., et al. (2023). Viral conjunctivitis. StatPearls.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Contact lens risks.
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