Side effects of Ofloxacin eye drops after cataract surgery

 

 

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/19/2015 - 04:27
Country
United States
Age
56
Gender
Female
Did you perform any surgery for the eyes?

Cataract Eye Surgery

Do you suffer from pre-existing illnesses in the eye?
No
Do you suffer from any diseases in the body?
No
Do you use any eye drops?

Ofloxacin eye drops

Do you use any eye drops?
Yes

Question

Hi,

 

 

A few weeks ago, I had a bad cataract removed surgically from my left eye. Surgery went well. I can see again. But, the antibiotic eyedrops (Ofloxacin) are a fluoroquinolone, like Cipro, and have aggravated (worsened) my tendinitis, in feet and arm.

I'm going to have my right eye's cataract removed at the end of August, so---I'm wondering what OTHER antibiotic you like, (as eyedrops before & after surgery) that is NOT a fluoroquinolone, so that I don't end up with great vision, but no tendonitis-free connective tissue left to be able to move my body without pain (from bad side effects of Ofloxacin)?

Also, do you know any holistic ways to fight the bad side effects of fluoroquinolones (tendinitis problems getting worse) if necessary (if the surgeon refuses to change antibiotic drops prescription for upcoming eye surgery)?

Thanks for thinking about my dilemma! Looking forward to your thoughts on this!

 

Answer

Thanks for your Question

 

 

There are many antibiotics eye drops that can be used before and after cataract surgery such as chloramphenicol eye drops and tobramycin eye drops. You can use one of these antibiotics after cataract eye surgery and off course after the approval from your eye doctor.

The most effective way to prevent systemic side effects of eye drops in general is to decrease systemic absorption of these eye drops by pressing on the corner of the eye near the nose to block the drainage of eye drops through nasolacrimal duct to blood.

 

Thanks! More questions: by: Carol

Thank you for replying! I would avoid chloramphenicol since it can cause aplastic anemia! The other antibiotic I think is just against bacteria, not viruses, and not fungi.

How long would I need to press on inner corner of eye, to prevent systemic absorption?

This pressing is done while keeping both eyes shut, right?

How would I prevent adding infectious organisms, by my touching the inner corner of my eye? Would I need to wear a sterile glove each time, or would I need to use a sterile piece of gauze, or what ?

 

 

Reply By webeyeclinic.com

Chloramphenical is used for a longtime as an eye drops and it is very useful to prevent bacterial infection after cataract eye surgery and other ocular surgeries. Aplastic anemia is a rare serious complication of chloramphenical but it occurs mainly with oral prescription in which it can occur in 1 in 24,000–40,000 prescriptions while with with eye drops it can occur in less than one in 224,716 prescriptions.

Instead of Chloramphenical, you can use tobramycin which is also very effective in preventing bacterial infection after cataract eye surgery.

It is not a routine after ocular surgeries in general to give medications that prevent fungal or viral infections as the incidences of them are very low in  healthy person. Fungal and viral infections occur mainly in immunocompromised patients such as those with HIV, malignancy or on chemotherapy. Those patients require special measurements before, during and after surgeries.

You can press the corner of the eye for 3-5 minutes after you instill the eye drops and your eye is closed. You don't need to use sterile gloves just wash your hand and press on the skin of the corner of the eye not inside the eye.

 

 

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