Use the drops every two hours during the day for the first two days, then reduce the frequency down to four times a day for the next three days.
Your vision may become slightly blurred for a short while after using the drops. If so, do not drive and do not use tools or machines until you can see clearly again.
Do not wear contact lenses until 24 hours after your symptoms have completely gone.
About levofloxacin for eye infections
|Type of medicine||Antibacterial eye drops|
|Used for||Eye infections, in adults or in children over 1 year of age|
|Available as||Eye drops and single-use eye drops|
Levofloxacin eye drops are prescribed to treat bacterial eye infections. They work by helping to kill the bacteria which are causing the infection.
Eye infections are a common cause of conjunctivitis. In conjunctivitis, your eye becomes inflamed, feels gritty, and may water more than usual. The white of your eye may look red, and your eyelids may become swollen and stuck together with a discharge when you wake up in the morning. Only one eye may be infected to begin with, but it often spreads to both eyes. Although infective conjunctivitis may clear without treatment, antibiotic eye drops such as levofloxacin can often be helpful for more severe infections, or for infections which do not clear on their own.
Before using levofloxacin eye drops
Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start using levofloxacin eye drops it is important that your doctor knows:
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- If you have ever had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, or to any eye drops.
- If you are taking or using any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines.
How to use levofloxacin eye drops
- Wash your hands before you use the drops.
- Remove the cap from the bottle (or the tip of the unit if you are using a single-use unit).
- Tilt your head back a little and pull the lower lid of your eye downwards to form a pocket.
- Hold the bottle (or single-use unit) upside down near to your eye. Try not to touch your eye as you do this.
- Apply enough pressure to release one drop into your eye. Only use a second drop if the first drop missed going into your eye.
- Close your eye for a minute or two, and press gently on the side of your nose where the corner of your eye meets your nose. This helps to stop the drop from draining away and keeps it in your eye.
- Repeat the process in your other eye if you have been told to use the drops in both eyes.
- Replace the cap (or if you are using the single-use unit, throw it away).
Getting the most from your treatment
- Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from the pack. It will give you more information about the drops and will provide you with a full list of any side-effects which you may experience from using them.
- If your eyes have an obvious discharge or 'crust', it can help if you bathe them with cool clean water before using the drops.
- Use the drops every two hours for the first two days. (Just use the drops while you are awake - you do not need to wake yourself up during the night to put them in.) On day three, reduce the frequency down to four times a day for the next three days. Try not to miss any doses, but if you do forget to put the drops in on time, do it as soon as you remember.
- When you first put the drops into your eye, it may cause blurred vision. This should quickly clear, but make sure you can see clearly again before you drive or before you use machines or tools.
- Take care to avoid spreading the infection from one eye to the other, and to other members of your family. Washing your hands regularly (particularly after touching your eyes), and not sharing towels or pillows will help to prevent the infection from spreading.
- If the tip of the bottle touches your eye(s) when putting the drops in, it is a good idea to squeeze out two or three drops straightaway on to some tissue and rinse the tip with salt water.
- Eye infections can cause your eyes to become more sensitive to sunlight than usual. Wearing sunglasses may help to prevent this.
- If you are using any other eye drops, leave 5-10 minutes between applying each preparation. This is to prevent more liquid going into your eye than it can handle. Otherwise the drops will overflow from your eye and not have the intended effect.
- If your symptoms do not improve or they become worse despite using levofloxacin, you should arrange to see your doctor for advice straightaway. In particular, see your doctor straightaway if your eye becomes painful, if light starts to hurt your eyes, or if your sight is affected.
- Do not wear contact lenses until your symptoms have completely gone. Wait for 24 hours after the last dose of eye drops before using your lenses again.
Can levofloxacin eye drops cause problems?
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with levofloxacin eye drops. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with the drops. Speak with your doctor if any of the following continue or become troublesome.
|Common levofloxacin side-effects (these affect less than 1 in 10 people)||What can I do if I experience this?|
|A burning feeling, decreased vision||These should quickly clear. If either continues or becomes troublesome, speak with your doctor|
|Uncommon levofloxacin side-effects (these affect less than 1 in 100 people)||What can I do if I experience this?|
|Headache||Drink plenty of water and ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller. If the headaches continue, let your doctor know|
|Redness, itching, swollen or sticky eyelids||If troublesome, speak with your doctor|
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to these eye drops, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.
How to store levofloxacin eye drops
- Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
- Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
- Throw away the bottle of eye drops after you have finished the course of treatment, even if there is some liquid left. Never keep opened bottles of eye drops to use later.
- Single-use units should be used as soon as the unit is opened. Do not store or re-use opened units for subsequent doses. This is because the units do not contain any preservative.
Important information about all medicines
Make sure that the person supplying this medicine knows about any other medicines that you are taking or using. This includes any medicines you have bought, and herbal and homeopathic medicines.
If you are having an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are using.
This medicine is for you. Never give it to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.
If you suspect that someone might have swallowed some of this medicine, contact your local accident and emergency department for advice.
Do not keep out-of-date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you.
If you have any questions about this medicine ask your pharmacist.
Further reading and references
; Santen UK Ltd, The electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated July 2017.
British National Formulary 74th Edition (Sep 2017); British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London.
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