Ciloxan Eye Drops (ciprofloxacin) are used to treat bacterial infections in the eyes. This product is not effective against other types of infection (viral or fungal), and should not be used to alleviate redness or irritation not associated with bacterial infection.

The active ingredient in Ciloxan Eye Drops is ciprofloxacin, a quinolone antibiotic that has seen widespread use around the world since its introduction in the 1980s. It works by disrupting the bacteria's ability to grow and reproduce. There are some strains of bacteria resistant to ciprofloxacin; this problem is worsened when antibiotics are misused. It's important to complete treatment even if symptoms clear up and the infection seems to be gone.

Ciloxan Eye Drops should not be used in patients under 18 or while pregnant or breastfeeding without explicit doctor instruction.

Conditions Treated

As mentioned above, Ciloxan Eye Drops are only effective against bacterial infections. Ideally the infection will be verified by a doctor and the offending bacteria identified so the most effective antibiotic can be utilized. Ciloxan Eye Drops are most commonly used to treat:

• Conjunctivitis (infection on the eye)
• Blepharitis (infection of the eyelid)
• Corneal ulcers (ulcers caused by bacteria)

The medication comes in a vial with a built-in dropper. Hands should be thoroughly washed and dried prior to handling the vial. Take care that the dropper does not come into contact with any surfaces, hands, or the eyes. The dropper should not be rinsed off, as this may introduce bacteria or other microbes to the medication reservoir.

Treatment will vary to some degree depending on the condition and its severity; dosage and duration is best determined by a doctor.

For conjunctivitis and blepharitis treatment typically consists of:

• Administer 1 to 2 drops into the affected eye every two hours for two days.
• After the first two days, administer 1 to 2 drops every four hours.
• Treatment typically lasts for seven days.

For corneal ulcers treatment is a little more complicated:

• On the first day of treatment, administer 2 drops in the affected eye every 15 minutes for the first 6 hours. Administer 2 drops every 30 minutes for the rest of the first day.
• On the second day, administer 2 drops once every hour for the entire day.
• On day three and for the remainder of treatment, administer 2 drops every 4 hours.
• Treatment typically lasts for 14 days.

After administration the eye should be closed for several minutes; do not rub or blink. Gentle pressure may be applied using clean fingertips to help prevent the medication from leaking out or to help keep the eye shut. If applying multiple drops to the same eye the entire procedure should be repeated for each drop; apply one drop and hold the eye shut for several minutes, then apply the next drop and again hold the eye shut for several minutes.

Ciloxan Eye Drops do not directly alleviate pain and irritation, but most patients will notice some improvement within the first day or two of use as the levels of bacteria begin to drop. Other medications may also be administered to directly address irritation or to further combat the infection; these may be additional eye drops or topical ointments. Wait at least 5 minutes after administering Ciloxan Eye Drops before applying other medications to the eye.

Contact lenses should not be used for the duration of treatment with Ciloxan Eye Drops; they can reduce the medication's effectiveness. As a general rule contact lenses should not be worn during any type of eye infection anyway; they often worsen the condition.

Opened containers of Ciloxan Eye Drops should be disposed of after four weeks; the medication will become increasingly less potent and the risk of contamination with microbes becomes increasingly high.