Redness, tearing, and drainage are all symptoms of an eye infection. It may be a clear liquid or a yellow-green pus which are highly infectious. Antibiotic eye drops may be used to treat a bacterial eye infection.
A doctor can prescribe antibiotic eye drops to treat bacterial eye infections. They function by destroying the bacteria (microscopic organism) that caused the infection in the first place.
Bacterial Eye Infections and Antibiotic Eye Drops
The most common form of bacterial eye infection is bacterial conjunctivitis. It is easy to spread around kids at daycare and school. Bacterial eye infections can also be caused by sleeping in contacts or wearing dirty contacts. To prevent infection, practice proper contact lens care.
Antibiotic eye drops are only used to treat bacterial infections in the eyes. Antibiotic drops may not help with other forms of eye infections or allergies, such as:
Viral conjunctivitis. In the treatment of conjunctivitis caused by a virus, antibiotic drops are ineffective.
Allergic conjunctivitis. This eye pain is not caused by an infection. An allergic reaction to something like dust, pollen, or pets causes discomfort. Antibiotic eye drops would not help alleviate the effects of an allergic reaction to the eyes.
Infections of fungi in the eyes (fungal keratitis). These are very uncommon infections. Wearing infected contact lenses is the most common cause of fungal keratitis.
While antibiotic eye drops are ineffective in these conditions, you may need other eye drops, prescriptions, or treatments.
When To Visit a Doctor For An Eye Infection
Consult a doctor if you suspect you have an eye infection. They will be able to determine if you need antibiotic eye drops or other medications.
The following are some of the signs and symptoms of an eye infection:
● eye pain
● redness
● swollen eyes
● light sensitivity
● drainage (yellow-green pus or watery eyes). This is a typical sign of bacterial infections in the eyes.
To get the best results from antibiotic eye drops, follow these steps:
● follow your doctor’s advice
● follow the general instructions in applying eyedrops
Things to keep in mind when using antibiotic eye drops:
● Do not take anyone else’s prescription
● Finish the full course of treatment, do not stop early without consulting your doctor, even if symptoms subside
● Do not keep unused medications for later use.
After three days, antibiotic eye drops normally help symptoms improve. See a doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
