Floxal – what is it, application, contraindications, use. How to take care of your eyesight?

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Floxal is a prescription medicine used for bacterial eye infections. Available as eye drops or ointments, use only topically.

Floxal – what is this medicine?

Floxal is a medicine sold as eye drops and eye ointment – the ointment is available in a tube of 3 drops in a 5 ml bottle. The preparation is available on prescription and is used to treat bacterial eye infections. The active substance of Floxal is ofloxacin, which belongs to the antibacterial drugs called fluoroquinolones.

Floxal – application

Diseases that can be treated with the preparation are:

1. anterior eye infections caused by microorganisms sensitive to ofloxacin,
2. bacterial conjunctivitis,
3. bacterial keratitis,
4. bacterial eyelid margin inflammation,
5. bacterial tear sac inflammation,
6. barley,
7. corneal ulcer.

Ofloxacin is also used to treat bacterial infections of the skin, lungs, prostate or urinary tract. Moreover, it also helps in the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. However, fluoroquinolone antibiotics can cause debilitating and irreversible side effects.

Floxal – contraindications

Floxal should not be used by people who are allergic to ofloxacin or one of the ingredients of the preparation. A contraindication to taking Floxal is also an allergy to quinolone antibacterial drugs. For these reasons, it is advisable to consult a doctor or pharmacist before starting the use of the drug. Damage or ulceration of the eye surface may also be a contraindication.

Floxal – precautions

The person using the drug should not stay in excessive sunlight or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. solarium, otherwise photosensitivity reaction may occur. In some cases, the long-term use of Floxal leads to the multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms that are not susceptible to the drug.

Treatment with Floxal should be stopped immediately when it causes pain or swelling in the tendon. Edema and tendon rupture have been reported in people taking fluoroquinolones by the oral or intravenous route. The preparation should not be taken by children under 1 year of age due to the lack of established safety and efficacy for people in this age group.

After administering the drops, the visual acuity may temporarily deteriorate. Do not drive or use machines until symptoms have resolved. Caution before using Floxal should be taken by pregnant women, nursing mothers and women planning pregnancy. Although the harmful effect of ofloxacin on fertility has not been shown, the decision to use it should be made by a doctor – it is worth adding that the study in this regard was carried out on animals.

Floxal – interactions with other drugs

Before starting treatment with the drug, inform your doctor or pharmacist about the current and recently taken drugs, as well as those that are going to be taken in the future. It is not recommended to use other eye drops and ointments at the same time – there should be a 15-minute break between each administration. Eye ointment should always be applied last.

Floxal – application

Floxal should be used as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist. However, the usually recommended dose is 1 drop 4 times a day, instilled into the conjunctival sac of the infected eye. Before administering the medication, it is advisable to wash your hands thoroughly. When the bottle is ready to use it, i.e. with the protective cap twisted, tilt your head back and use your index finger to pull down the lower eyelid.

Then bring the tip of the dropper close to the eye, but do not touch the eye, eyelid, surrounding areas and other surfaces. To let droplets come out of the bottle, press it gently. Look up while giving the drops – repeat if it fails. In order for the drop to cover the entire surface of the eye, you should open and close your eye several times a day.

To avoid contamination of Floxal, keep the tip of the dropper clean – do not touch it with your fingers or the surface of the eye. Using contaminated eye drops can damage your eyesight and even cause blindness. Treatment with Floxal should not last longer than 2 weeks. If the infection gets worse after a few days, or you do not see improvement, please inform your doctor.

Floxal – side effects

Any drug, including Floxal, can cause side effects. Even so, they will not occur to anyone who uses the medicine. Nevertheless, they can be allergic reactions with swelling in the throat, tongue, mouth, mouth and face. Such a side effect will be a feeling of tightness in the throat. Other side effects are also shortness of breath, although this, in turn, is very rare.

Life-threatening rashes, e.g. Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, have been reported in patients using Floxal. The rashes initially appeared as red spots or oval-shaped spots on the body with blisters in the center of the spots.

Eye drops and contact lenses

Before using the eye drops, make sure they do not contain any preservatives. Eye drops containing them can damage the lenses – as a result, they may reduce their clarity and optical properties. When the lenses do not contain preservatives, people with contact lenses can use them. This information can be found on the package of the drops.

How to take care of your eyesight?

1. Visit an ophthalmologist

It is worth taking part in ophthalmological examinations at least once every two years. If possible, you should do it more often, especially when you work at the computer on a daily basis or when you notice problems with your eyesight. It is worth visiting an ophthalmologist whenever the eyes start to burn and the pain returns from time to time. Regular eye examinations make it possible to recognize the early stages of the disease.

1. Let your eyes rest

A significant part of the population works on a daily basis with computers or spends their time looking at smartphone screens. These activities are not healthy for the eyes. In order to prevent eye diseases, it is worthwhile to establish a time when the computer is not used. During the working day, it is good to take short breaks, e.g. every 20 minutes for 20 seconds – then look at the object 6 meters away from you.

1. They follow a healthy diet

In order for the body to function healthy, it is necessary to follow a balanced diet, full of vitamins and minerals – it will also have a positive effect on the condition of the eyes. Ophthalmologists recommend eating many foods that contain vitamins A, E, C, Omega-3 fatty acids and lutein. Their deficiency in the diet can cause cataracts and macular degeneration. You’ll find vitamins in spinach, kale, peas, broccoli, fish, beef, peanuts, and legumes.

1. Protect your eyes from sunlight

Skin and eyes do not tolerate exposure to harsh sun. If this condition lasts too long, the macula can be damaged and the eyes and eyelids can become cancerous. UVA and UVB radiation can dry out the surface of the eye. In summer, it is worth wearing good sunglasses – to buy them, consult an optician. Cheap sunglasses can sometimes contribute to the development of eye diseases.