Tetracycline eye ointment for children: instructions for use

Children’s bacterial eye infections are frequently treated with tetracycline eye ointment. It is frequently used to treat bacterial infections such as styes, conjunctivitis, and other similar ailments. It’s critical that you use this medication as directed in order to guarantee your child’s safety and effectiveness.

It is imperative that you comprehend the appropriate dosage, application technique, and any necessary precautions before using tetracycline eye ointment. Even though the ointment is generally regarded as safe, it’s important to be aware of the possibility of side effects or allergic reactions in children.

Tetracycline eye ointment application instructions for children are provided in this article; it covers everything from application techniques to warning signs to look out for during treatment. You can confidently take care of your child’s eye health with the help of this information, whether you’re using it for the first time or just need a refresher.

Aspect	Details
What is it?	Tetracycline eye ointment is an antibiotic used to treat eye infections in children.
How to apply	Gently apply a small amount to the inside of the lower eyelid 2-3 times a day, as directed by your doctor.
Age limit	Not recommended for children under 8 years old without doctor"s advice.
Possible side effects	Mild irritation, redness, or allergic reactions.
Storage	Keep at room temperature, away from sunlight and moisture.

Release form

Several Russian pharmaceutical companies produce "tetracycline" as an ointment used in ophthalmology care. Packed in aluminum tubes, the drug is a yellow or yellowish-brown mass. There are 3, 5, or 10 grams of medication in each tube.

Children with bacterial eye infections such as conjunctivitis are often treated with tetracycline eye ointment. It is crucial that you carefully follow the directions and apply a small amount to the affected eye as directed by a physician. Usually taken twice or four times daily, parents should speak with a healthcare provider about the precise amount and length of treatment. This ointment is useful for treating bacterial infections only; it should not be used for viral or other eye conditions. It helps reduce symptoms such as redness and swelling.

Composition

The active component of the "Tetracycline" eye ointment has a 1% concentration. Tetracycline hydrochloride, the drug’s active ingredient, is included in the medication under the same name. Its dosage is 10 mg per gram of the medication and 1 g per 100 grams of ointment, respectively. Anhydrous lanolin and petroleum jelly, two examples of inactive ingredients, are added to the ointment to give the medication the proper consistency and facilitate application.

How it works?

One class of tetracycline antibiotics with bacteriostatic properties is tetracycline ointment. A medication of this kind inhibits the microbes’ ability to synthesize new proteins, which hinders their growth and reproduction. Numerous bacteria, including staphylococci, klebsiella, gonococci, E. coli, pneumococci, and many more microorganisms, are known to be susceptible to the effects of tetracycline.

The medication also affects numerous strains of streptococci, proteus, pseudomonas, bacteroids, and chlamydia. Fungi and viral particles are immune to the effects of tetracycline. It should be mentioned that the drug is essentially not absorbed after being applied to the eyes, ensuring only the antibiotic’s localized effects and the lack of any unfavorable side effects.

When used?

The bacterial or chlamydia-caused eye disease is the reason for the prescription of "Tetracycline." In these situations, the drug is in demand:

• The ointment is most often used for conjunctivitis, the symptoms of which are viscous discharge of yellow or gray color. They are formed in large volumes, and after sleep, it is difficult for the child to open the eyelids. With this disease, redness of the eyes, a feeling of a foreign body in the eye (or a feeling of sand), dry skin around the eye and other signs are also noted.
• The drug is prescribed, if the inflammation of the conjunctiva has spread to other membranes of the eye. "Tetracycline" is needed if the child is diagnosed with bacterial keratoconjunctivitis (the infection has captured the cornea) or blepharoconjunctivitis (the disease has spread to the eyelids).
• The drug is used for blepharitis, when bacteria "attack" the edges of the eyelids and cause a chronic inflammatory process. Such a disease is manifested by itching and burning, swelling of the eyelids and their redness, as well as lacrimation and increased sensitivity of the eyes to light and stress.
• Another reason to prescribe Tetracycline is meibomitis. The second name for such an eye infection is "stye". With it, the eyelid turns red, swells and hurts, and some patients have an elevated body temperature.
• The ointment is also prescribed to patients with trachoma. This is the name of an eye infection caused by chlamydia. With it, the cornea and conjunctiva are usually damaged, which leads to the appearance of scars and decreased vision.

Is it prescribed to children?

The age of up to eight years old is listed in the contraindications section of the paper instructions that come with Tetracycline, which is sold as an eye ointment. These age restrictions are related to the dearth of clinical trials attesting to the medication’s safety for young children.

Nonetheless, tetracycline ointment is frequently prescribed by ophthalmologists to children younger than eight, including newborns and toddlers ages two to three. They believe that the medication has been shown over many years of use to be safe for young children and that problems and side effects are rare.

Some physicians also prescribe this "Tetracycline" for bacterial rhinitis, but most experts would rather recommend injectable or nasal forms for microbial infections of the nasopharynx.

Features of use in children

Precautions must be taken to make sure "Tetracycline" does not hurt young children. First and foremost, you have to heed the doctor’s advice and apply the ointment as often as the specialist prescribes, in the prescribed dosage. Additionally, an adult should wash their hands well before treating the child’s eyes.

Additionally, since there are two varieties of Tetracycline ointment, it is crucial to exercise caution when purchasing. Apart from the medication used to treat eyes, there is another medication (3%), which is meant to treat skin. Such an ointment is recommended for a variety of skin conditions, including acne, chickenpox, boils, inflammatory wounds, and eczema. Tablets are an additional "Tetracycline" form.

Contraindications

It is forbidden to use "Tetracycline" to treat eye conditions:

• in children with hypersensitivity to tetracycline antibiotics or inactive ingredients of the drug;
• in patients with serious kidney disease;
• in children with liver dysfunction;
• if the eye infection is caused by pathogenic fungi;
• in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus;
• with puncture or deep damage to the organ of vision;
• with severe eye burns.

Side effects

Rarely, an allergic reaction to the ointment may happen after it has been applied to the eye’s membranes. This reaction could look like swollen or red eyelids. Some children experience temporary blurriness in their vision when using "Tetracycline," but this condition usually improves over time.

Instructions for use

The medication is applied as follows:

• gently pull the lower eyelid down, put as much ointment behind it as the doctor prescribed;
• release the eyelid, press it with a cotton pad or tampon for one minute;
• then ask the child to close his eyes for 1-2 minutes so that the medicine is distributed evenly;
• if the treatment is prescribed to an infant, you need to make sure that after treatment he does not rub his eyes with his hands.

Treatment for keratitis is administered two to three times a day; for conjunctivitis or blepharitis, it is administered slightly more frequently (three to four times a day). Tetracycline treatments typically last between five and seven days. However, you should see a doctor if the ointment has been used for more than three days and there hasn’t been any improvement.

The ointment is applied to the sore eye before bedtime to treat "barley." The medication is taken up until the point at which the infection’s symptoms totally go away. The treatment plan calls for using tetracycline ointment for seven days to two months if the patient is found to have trachoma.

When starting therapy, eye treatment should be applied every two to four hours. Once the inflammatory symptoms start to go down, apply the ointment two or three times a day.

Overdose and compatibility with other drugs

Exceeding the dosage of tetracycline ointment does not have a toxic effect because it is a locally acting medication whose components essentially do not enter the general bloodstream.

Regarding drug interactions, nothing in the instructions mentions them, but using any other ointments or drops at the same time to treat eye conditions is advised only when directed by a physician.

Terms of sale

"Tetracycline" eye ointment is a term for over-the-counter medications; therefore, there are no issues when purchasing such a product at a pharmacy. A tube of the medication containing three grams costs, on average, fifty rubles.

Storage conditions

The medicine must be kept in a dry location away from direct sunlight and in a tube containing the ointment at a temperature below +15 degrees to avoid spoiling. A location like that should also be kept out of the reach of young children.

"Tetracycline" that has been sealed has a three-year shelf life, but after that first use, the medication’s shelf life is typically shortened. Because of this, the paper instructions that are affixed to the tube ought to make the period more clear. Three months or five weeks may pass.

The ointment cannot be used to treat children once the manufacturer’s time limit has passed.

Reviews

Parents largely give the eye ointment "Tetracycline" positive reviews. We refer to this type of medication as easy to use, inexpensive, and effective. Mothers report that using the ointment to treat their eyes relieves discomfort quickly. However, the medication by itself typically doesn’t cause any unpleasant side effects, such as burning. There have been complaints regarding an allergic reaction or the failure to produce the intended therapeutic effect in certain unfavorable reviews.

One useful treatment for some bacterial eye infections in children is tetracycline eye ointment. It’s crucial to pay close attention to the doctor’s instructions and only take the medication as directed. Inappropriate or excessive use of the ointment may result in unfavorable side effects or antibiotic resistance.

It is important for parents to ensure that their child finishes the entire course of treatment by applying the ointment exactly as prescribed. This guarantees a full recovery from the infection and lowers the likelihood of a recurrence.

It’s best to stop using the ointment and call the doctor for more guidance if any strange symptoms, such as redness, itching, or a worsening of the infection, appear. A speedy recovery is largely dependent on maintaining the health of your child’s eyes and adhering to medical advice.

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