Should We Prescribe Vigamox Eye Drops for Pink Eye?
May 6, 2009
I see many patients who are referred to me by pediatricians and ER docs, and it seems they all are taking some fourth generation fluoroquinolone like Vigamox eye drops for bacterial conjunctivitis (or pink eye). What’s up with that? Is it just plain laziness to prescribe the same thing over and over? Or is it the result of drug rep pressure? I reserve these superdrugs to contact lens wearers. Otherwise, my patients with conjunctivitis get sulfa or gentamicin or some other cheap, old medicine. I wish doctors would take a moment before reflexively prescribing Vigamox and other very powerful drugs for what is a benign, self-limited disease.
Comments (109)
Trackbacks
Print this post
Filed in Conjunctivitis, Cornea, Pediatrics, Practice Tips
You might also enjoy...
- Is Conjunctivitis Overtreated?
- Should We Be Treating Conjunctivitis?
- Do Contact Lenses Cause Corneal Ulcers?
- SynergEyes(R) Launches New Website for Keratoconus Patients
- Collagen Cross Linking As Treatment For Acanthamoeba
Comments
Jump down to form below to submit your own comments
Are you serious? sulfa? Weren’t sulfas invented during the civil war (REALLY)?
I like to think patients come to me for the most current treatments, not one that will cause an allergic reaction.
if you notice, your comment doesn’t refute anything i wrote, which i find frustrating. i have been using sulfacetamide solution (bleph-10 is the brand) for eye infections for 15 years, and have never seen a reaction ( i like to ask patients if they have a sulfa allergy- comes in handy!). it’s very easy to treat everything with superdrugs. the skill as a clinician comes knowing when not to use them. i am happy to give my patients superdrugs when and if they really need them. explain to me why bacterial conjunctivitis, a benign, self-limited disease (that goes away even if you don’t treat it), needs a $120 bottle of superdrug vs. a $10 drug that is just as good? by the way, penicillin is about 60 years old, but is still often used in many infections ( i think it’s still drug of choice in some meningitides), since it works. that should be the measure of its worth, not its age. give this matter some serious thought, and let me know what you think.
I Agree with Dr. Weitzner – why ARE so many people using the new drugs so much? I still use gentamycin, sulfacetamide, erythromycin for bacterial conjunctivitis. If they fail that, then I’ll culture and try something else. I have the same problem with prescribing Azithromycin for bronchitis in kids. Granted, I teach pharmacology, so I like to practice what I preach, but aren’t we just asking for drug resistance? Not to mention the cost………..
Dr. Weitzner,
I appreciate your comment and agree completely with your outlook. I did not know I had other options when my little girl was treated with Vigamox for bacterial conjunctivitis. She took two doses each day for five days, it went away (or so I thought). Then her little brother got the conjunctivitis, was treated with the same drug for five days, and it appeared to go away. However, now my husband has it and shortly thereafter, my two children got traces of it again, and they are all on this expensive medicine (yet again) for the next five days. We do not have insurance, and this tiny bottle of medicine is $95. If I had known I had other options, I would not have given anyone anything and would have just isolated my little girl, sterilized everything, and waited for it to pass. My question now is… if after a week of using vigamox, and it returns, do I have any other option but to continue buying this expensive drug or can I wait it out? I have spoken to our pediatrician and doctor and they say we have no option.
most conjunctivitis is viral and is NOT treated AT ALL, like when you catch a cold. the fact that it was so contagious in your family makes me 99% certain it was viral- bacterial not nearly as contagious. therefore, the vigamox, or any drop you took, was worthless- the course would have been the same.
here’s what i say to my patients with conjunctivits: “i am going to give you what i give my own children when they get pink eye– nothing. and just like it goes away in about a week with them on no treatment, so it will with you”. my patients find it reassuring that an ophthalmologist doesnt even treat his own kids.
so, leave your family alone, and it will go away sooner or later- guaranteed!
As a healthcare provider with small children with conjunctivitis, I waited about 6 days, no treatment, and with no change when I got conjunctivits, (hoping it was viral).
Then I got a Rx for Gentamicin (gentamicin has always worked in the past). I saw improvement the first three days, then both eyes flared up worse than ever before. I stopped taking anything for a few days and was gradually getting worse.
Got Rx for Vigamox and am slowly seeing improvement. If I didn’t see improvement, I would have had bacteria cultured. Glad there are these drugs on the market, but I agree they shouldn’t be first line of defense.
i suspect that the gentamicin made the eyes feel better initially simply due to lubrication, and would have produced same results as artificial tears.
viral conj can last up to 2 weeks or even more. as long as not getting worse, i would have waited another week.
hard to explain why the gent made it worse if the gent agreed with you in the past (gent can irritate the eyes in many patients and makes the conj look worse).
but agree if eyes getting worse after gent, no choice but to go to the big guns like vigamax. but if there wasn’t significant discharge going on, hard to believe we are dealing with a resistant bacterial organism.
it bears repeating that even bacterial conj is a self-limited disease and will go away no matter what (except in cases of std’s). so, again, i would advise waiting at least 2 weeks as long as its not getting worse and see no signs of significant bacterial infection like heavy discharge etc.
as i mentioned, i never treat my own children, to my wife’s chagrin (“you’re an eye doctor!! can’t you give them something?!” “shut up, honey dear!”)
My daughter (5yrs old) got mild pink eye with green discharge and crust on the eyelashes. We waited 2 days before going to the walk in clinic.
We got the Vigamox and started the treatment. Her eye is better but she also has a cough and stuffy nose.
Dr. Weitzner when you say:
“i am going to give you what i give my own children when they get pink eye– nothing. and just like it goes away in about a week with them on no treatment, so it will with you”.
My daughter is in school JK half days. How long should she stay home if we didn’t use the VIgamox?
most conjunctivitis is contagious for about a week, so thats how long she should stay out of school. if the conjunctivitis is bacterial, and she did not use vigamox, i dont think it would make much of a difference re contagion, as most conjunctivitis gets better in about a week regardless of treatment. but if its a nasty case, and there is still green discharge after a week, then she is probably still contagious.
I also thought that my daughter was prescribed moxifloxacin ophth. drop too soon in the course of her conjuctivitis. Her red eye appeared after swimming in a hotel pool. I first thought it was an allergy and tried visine for two days, to get the red eye (unilateral-Rt) out and stop the irritation. I began to notice that the red eye got worse and she complained of severe itchiness. I started noticing some discharge (slightly yellowish) and sticky eye. I also noticed that the Lt. eye was a bit pinkish. Now that she has used Vigamox three times a day for 2 days, the Rt. eye has gotten worse. It is swollen and more reddish than ever. She is now experincing watery eyes, and itchiness, along with “stye”. She is also having some stuffy nose. I have been applying warm water to her eyes as advised by her pediatrician. I plan to contact her pediatrician tomorrow to report these reactions. I will not be instilling further drops until I have a chance to consult with her pediatrician. I actually wondered the use of fluoroquinolone as the first line agent.
the pink eye just ran its course regardless of the vigamox. once started, however, once started, its a good idea to finish the course of antibiotics.
Wow, as a patient with pink eye for the first time, this is all very confusing. After a day with a very red and itchy right eye, I called the doctors office. I was concerned about whether or not I should be going to work (i.e. around other people.)
Based on my symptoms (no contacts, no yellow discharge) the doc said it was most likely viral, but I should use the anti-bacterial drops “just in case.” She said even if it’s viral “it can’t hurt.” I even pushed back a bit, saying I don’t like to take antibiotics if they are not necessary, and she told me not to worry, that they’re “just eye drops” and that she wasn’t putting me on antibiotics. She told me to stay home from work for 24 hours.
I went and got the $75 (!!!) drops. Before using any drops, the right eye seemed to be improving (not as itchy) but I saw signs of redness and itchyness in the left eye, so I began the Vigamox regimine.
The doctor said that she treats eye infections “conservatively” and even threw out there that untreated infections can cause blindness (scare tactic??) Basically, a better safe than sorry approach.
I would have been willing to wait things out, but was/am still concerned about returning to work. I cannot afford to stay home for a week! Should I still be quarantined? Can I return, but just be careful about touching, hand-washing and sanitizing? I’m assuming since I’ve already paid for and started the Vigamox that I should continue.
sounds like typical viral conjunctivitis, but since you started the Vigamox drops, you ought to finish the course.
if viral, and you work with kids, you ought to stay home for a week- very contagious. otherwise, if you dont touch anyone, wash your hands a lot and use a hand sanitizer and wipe off your work station, you can go back to work.
I am allergic to sulfa, tobramycin, azasite, keratolac, gentamycin, and neomycin. I’ve just been prescribed vigamox and told it does not contain sulfa and shouldn’t be pose a problem given my allergies to other medications. Do you agree with that?
Thank you very much
i agree!
I went to the doctor yesterday with what I think was a strep throat. He never really verified what it was, but did prescribe me Cephalexin. Today I woke up with pink eye and I was wondering if the two could be related? If so, would if the antibiotic he prescribed help with the pink eye as well?
Thanks for your help in advance!
Angie
I am 63 years old and have had conjunctivitis for over a month now–bacterial. I have used Polymixin B Sulfate, used it for a week and my eyes were marginally better. Four days later it was back. Went to my own doctor and he prescribed Gentamicin. Was on it for 5 days and my eyes got so bad with green matter and all the whites of BOTH eyes were filled with blood and the orbs and bone around them were terribly painful. It even hurt the eye muscles to blink my eyes. He then prescribed Vigamox as my last resort. It was $85 at Wal-Mart. (I have no insurance). Since it was so expensive, I used it for 11.5 days. And once again, my eyes were not cleared up. This all started July 13, 2010. Today is Aug. 21, 2010.
I did a photo shoot today, in terribly hot weather, so the sweat was running down into my eyes, and tonight lots of green matter and terrible redness is back with me.
So in my estimation, Vigamox does NOT clear conjunctivitis up!
Is there ANYTHING that will help?????? Very Frustrated!
conjunctivitis is a self-limited disease. it always goes away, treated or not. which is why vigamox is just plain overkill. viral conj can last for weeks or even months sometimes, and is not treatable, but typically the discharge is whitish and scant.
blepharitis can mimic conjunctivitis, and is very very common as we get older. the treatment for that is good lid hygiene, taking flaxseed/omega three supplements, and an antibiotic called azasite every night, sometimes indefinitely.
btw, the cephalaxin will treat your pinkeye if its truly bacterial. if its viral (most sore throat is viral) it wont make a difference
My 3 year old son has conjunctivitis. We started the Vigamox last Friday evening and since then the yellow-sticky discharge has cleared but there is much more inflammation and discomfort with increased blepharodema, photophobia and blepharospasm. Today he developed fever and also has symptoms of rhinitis and sore throat. His doc put him on systemic antibiotics so with the oral a/b is it still so important to administer the Vigamox for the full course.
once started, always important to finish the full course.
Dr. Ari Weitzner,
I wrote on June 17, 2010. As it turns out, my daughter was diagnosed with Ocular Herpes simplex, affecting her cornea. She has been on long therapy with antiviral oral, as well as ophthalamic drop, and steroidal drops too.
Why didn’t any doctor noticed that from when I complained her swollen eye? I actually forced the Urgent care doctor, after 2 visits within a week, to prescribe the antiviral and he finally did. I also requested of her pediatrician for a recommendation to an ophthamologist and he did. It’s September now and she’s been on antiviral oral, as well as ophthalamic drop, and steroidal drops too with close monitoring since there’s a corneal scar and ulceration (Herpetic Stroma Keratitis). I am a highly concerned mother. Any suggestions as to complete eradication of this horrible virus?
i would prefer not to email you directly- it may imply a doctor-patient relationship.
only if the exam were suspicious for herpes would even an ophthalmologist consider that diagnosis initially (vesicles/rash on the lids; a lot of pain). hard to blame an ophthalmologist for missing that initially. if things not getting better after a week or so, then the ophthalmologist should not miss it. if the patient were seen by a non-ophthalmologist, then the odds of picking up herpes would be almost nil. this is why most doctors hate treating the eye and refer immediately.
the current regimen you describe is correct. hopefully, the scar tissue will be minimal and not affect the vision to any significant degree, which is usually the case. taking oral anti-virals indefinitely will probably reduce the risk of recurrence, but you have to discuss that with the ophthal. the virus cannot be eradicated- 95% of americans harbor the virus.
This is all so Interesting and informative, I have a question is vigamox safe for my 11 month old grand daughter ?? Thank you very much.
very hard to answer this question. what is the disease? what did her ophthalmologist say?
in general, most drops not tested in kids, but typically, we use it in kids regardless.
I was diagnosed with a corneal ulcer and put on vigamox. I told them I was allergic to Avelox, and I found out today that the two contain the same medicine. I have a low grade fever, some feelings of fullness in my head, especially around my ears and my affected eye has turned slightly yellow. My eye is getting much better, but now I feel just plain ill. Is this an allergic reaction or an unrelated virus? Thanks in advance.
i suspect you have a virus. if the drop were the cause, i would expect to see quite a bit of redness, swelling and itching around the eye.
I’m so glad to see you on here! My son and daughter had strep, and then my son had pinkeye (or so I called it). His pedicatrician prescribed the superexpensive Vigamox, which did clear up his eye… or at least his eye did clear after four days or so. Then I got the same about the time his cleared, only my lids are more swollen. I immediately started taking the Vigamox, thinking 7 days worth would be available with half the bottle left. My eye is just starting to get better, and I’m on day four with no drops left. I do, however, have erythromycin ointment. Would it be harmful to switch midway or quit altogether? I know it’s best to finish, but it is the weekend and that would mean clinic care with no insurance… eek!
I’ve also used colloidal silver on a cotton ball to wipe the eyes. The bottle says not to put it in the eyes, but it certainly is tempting! Thank you so much for your time and consideration in answering!!!
I forgot to mention that I woke in the middle of the night, sat up, and liquid just poured out of my left eye. The same happened the next morning. It wasn’t as bad last night. There was less discharge. I’m guessing that could be of importance! Thank you again.
sounds like this is viral conjunctivitis, and most likely no treatment is necessary. even though one should finish antibiotics once started, most likely it wont make a difference here, and odds are you will get better in a week or so. i assume you do not wear contact lenses- if so, all bets are off. I should that if you have any doubts, please consult with your eye doctor.
Thank you so much for your response!
Dear Dr. Weitzner,
One week ago my 18-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an eye infection. She started Bleph 10 and cleared up instantly. Five days later my eye displayed similar symptoms so I started the same drops. Because my symptoms rapidly deteriorated (swelling and yellow-green discharged), I went in to my doctor in the afternoon.He recommended continuing with the Bleph 10 for two full days as it helped my daughter, but to switch to Moxeza after two days if no improvement. This morning (Friday, after one day of Bleph 10), my eye is nearly swollen shut and the other eye is infected. The significant complication here is I need to fly on Monday morning with my daughter for a scholarship audition. I am most concerned about travelling and not having relief with my symptoms. I also woke up with a sore throat this morning. I appreciate the distinction between viral and bacterial concerns. Is there a problem with switching earlier to the Moxeza? I need to travel on Monday!
still probably viral, but i see no reason not to switch now. But please consult with your eye doctor for a full evaluation.
What about the use of colloidal silver for eye infections as a more natural remedy?
no scientific proof behind colloidal silver. just like no scientific proof zinc or vitamin c can help a cold. sure, they are widely used, and one hears all kinds of stories about how they help- but no scientific proof. an d remember- most pink eyes go away in about 5 days, so when people take any of these remedies, and they get better, they think it’s the remedy, but the fact is they would get better anyway. thats how these stories get started. like antibiotics for ear infections- turns out, the vast majority get better without them, yet for decades, we assumed it was the antibiotics.
Dear Dr. Weitzner,
6 days ago my 2 year old son was prescribed Vigamox for pink eye.
After a day his eyes got better but after 3 days he got hives on his body.
The pediatrician and I decided to stop the Vigamox. The hives almost disappeared but his eyes got red, watery and with a yellow discharge again. The doctor prescribed Ofloxacin which has fluoroquinolone and it says that the side effects of
it can be hives. It is almost the same antibiotic. The doctor says it should be OK but I am afraid he might get even a worse reaction. What do you think? Should I start the new drops, continue with Vigamox or just wait. Thank you very much.
i dont understand how one can get an allergic reaction on the body from vigamox, while the eyes, which are getting the drug directly, is unaffected. just doesnt makes sense- i would expect the eyes to get red, swollen and itchy, more so than the body.
anyway, if one is going to switch due to allergy concerns, it doesnt make sense to switch to a fluoroquinolone. so i think he should switch to tobrex. ask your doctor if he wouldnt mind that switch.
it would be cool to give your child vigamox again, to see if he got the same hives–that would really settle the matter. but of course, i understand your reluctance!! as a father myself, its no fun making one’s child a guinea pig! (i do ask my adult patients to re-challenge themselves with the same drop in these situations- they typically agree, as they understand the worse that can happen is they get hives again for a couple of days)
Dr. Weitzner,
Thank you for the fast response. Since I insisted on switching the doctor prescribed polymyxin-B/trimethoprimophth solution. What do you think about this medication?
also excellent choice
Hello I have a question. I’ve been perscribed vigamox for a week and I’ve completed the weeks trial this past Sunday. I didn’t use the perscription Monday and as I wake up this morning I experienced a little bit of yellow discharge again. Now on Monday ..morning I didn’t experience this. It was actually the only morning I didn’t experience any discharge at all after waking up from a nights rest. Does this mean that I am relapsing already? Or is this normal since my eyes have been shut for about 5 hrs? I also have a sore throat and it has been like this for about a week now. It feels like a cold kind of but if it was a cold my sore throat should have stopped by now. I’m so confused, and I have no insurance with very low income so I don’t what to do. Please help me! Thank you so much.
as i mentioned, conjunctivitis (except for sexually transmitted diseases) is a self-limited disease. it goes away regardless of treatment. if you are not a contact lens wearer, you probably have nothing to worry about. i cant say much about the sore throat.
Thank you so much for your advice!
Thank you ahead of time for your time. My 10 month old had pink eye, then my 4 year old, then back to my 10 month old and then my husband. My children took the vigamox (my husband the sulfa drops) and were all much improved within days and healed by a week. I got something after they were all better. It started with waking up with one eye pink, swollen, and crusted shut. I started the sulfa drops and the next day woke up with both eyes that way. The sulfa drops burned terribly every time I put them in. My eyes were more red after every application so after 36 hours I started using gent drops. My eyes are much better but I have been on the gent drops for a week now and when I wake up my eyes are STILL pink and my vision is hazy-like. The pink and haziness clear up after drops and being awake for a while. I was only supposed to use the drops for 7 days but I’m almost afraid to stop using them. (BTW I’ve also been using Naphcon-A allergy drops to help with the redness.)
And now, I don’t know if this matters but my eyes are itchy were as for the last week they weren’t. Could I have something else going on other than pink eye? Should I continue the gent drops? And is it possible I’m still contagious after all this time? No real eye drainage in a week, more like “sleepy” in my eyes if anything. Sorry this has been going on in our house for over a month now and ready to turn the page on it. Thanks again.
usually pink eye is contagious for about a week.
rarely, conjunctivitis can irritate the eye for weeks or months. i dont think antibiotics are of any value at this point, but maybe steroid drops. im afraid you need to see an ophthalmologist at this point.
For about 5 months now, I’ve been having sore eye on and off. One week it would be my left eye, than a week or two later, it would be my right eye. It alternates back an forth. The symptom last from a day to a week, depending. I have not yet seen a doctor regarding this issue and just have used warm/hot tea bags and towels over my sore eye. It would start w/ either my upper or lower eye lid showing signs of pinkish than the soreness begins. Sometimes it swells a little bit and some mornings, there are the sticky stuff that makes my eye shut and can’t open. Sometimes there’s the flaky stuff on my eye and can make it hard to open as well, but just on the eye that is sore. I haven’t have any discharge, not that I can recall. But sometimes it does make a squeaking noise when I rub gently on the sore eye and then it would feel sticky. Maybe clear discharge after rubbing it. I wash my face w/ clean towels every night and sometimes wash my eyes with baby shampoo with warm water. I don’t even wear eye makeup.
I don’t know if I should go see a doctor to prescribe my any antibiotic because reading the comments above about some of the prescription, I don’t know if I should or not. Besides, I don’t have really good health coverage right now. I pay full price for doctor’s visit and any lab work done. But if I have to go see a doctor, I will.
I did have stye once last year and used the stye eye drop. It went away after a week, but a few months later, I started to develop the sore eyes. Any advice would be so helpful. Thanks.
sounds like you have blepharitis, a common chronic condition of the lids. But you will have to see an ophthalmologist to get the correct diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Weitzner,
I totally agree with you about the over-use of the fluoroquinolones. It’s like pounding in a small finish nail with a sledge hammer! Great when needed, but feeding the share-holders otherwise. Have you considered a 5% opthal. betadine lavage for those suffering from EKC? It is what I use to treat my own kids. Its a little irritating initially, but shortens the duration to 1-2 days instead of a week or so. Off label, but very effective. Proparacaine, Betadine lavage for 1 minute, wiping lids as well, NSAIDS for comfort and Lotemax to reduce the inflammation. Your wife will then love you even more when the kids aren’t stuck at home!
exactly right! i believe that in the third world, betadine drops are used for all kinds of conjunctivitis, and it works great- both bacteria and viral, and cheap as hell- pennies per dose. if my wife allows, i will use it on my kids!
hi im having a pink eye now for about a week. my doctor prescribe me a vigamox,( 1 drop every 2 hrs )pred forte ( every 2 hrs)and a proifen (every 6 hrs) and since he cant speak english fluently i didnt have the chance to ask on how to do the dropping properly.. and im afraid of the side effects. is it always painful?
and im just having red eyes no green discharge in my eyes.. just watery and a little painful
pink eye is not typically painful.
you are taking quite a few drops for pinkeye! since you started them, you probably should finish. side effects are very rare.
putting drops in the eye requires no special technique. just pull your lid down and squeeze. do it any way that you like.
Dear Dr. Weitzner,
I read your above comments and I too have been diagnosed with pink eye. My left eye has been cloudy for almost two months and I wear contacts. I am guessing that this is why it has not cleared up on its own. I was prescribed Vigamox but told not to wear a lense in my left eye during treatment. My glasses are really out of date and I cannot stand to wear them. Am I asking for problems by continuing to wear contacts during treatment though I am using a new lense each day? Thanks so much!
yes-you are asking for problems if you wear contact lenses while being treated, but conjunctivitis rarely lasts more than a week or so. if you are still having issues, i urge you to get a follow up exam.
I’ve had recurring pinkeye on and off for about 2 months. It appears to be more viral than bacterial, but my doctor is doing cultures and I’m awaiting the results. He off-handedly mentioned that due to a swollen gland on the infected side, I may have chlamydia in the eye. I have been treated thus far with Tobradex and erythromyacin ointment to no avail. I’m now on Vigamox. My question is: Is there ANY way I may have caught chlamydia in the eye from another person, without sexual contact? Is it contagious for instance on surfaces, like other bugs? Also, to my knowledge I am currently STD-free although I will go in for testing just to be certain. Thank you…I am very worried as I wait for the results of the cultures.
viral conj should not wax and wane. conj that lingers for months in a young, sexually active person is, in my book, chlamydia until proven otherwise. i agree with taking cultures, and you should be put on oral antibiotics like doxycycline for 2 weeks. i suppose it’s possible to catch chlamydia from non-sexual contact, but boy, that would be a rare bird. by the way, it’s not uncommon for the cultures to come back negative even though there is chlamydia there- so i like to treat with oral antibiotics anyway and if the patient is cured, i consider that a likely case- i leave it to the patient to deal with their sexual partner.
Thanks for your response. The pinkeye has been pretty consistent in one eye for the last month. I am trying to figure out what could have happened. I’ve not had any sexual contact since my last (to my knowledge) monogamous relationship, and both he and I were tested (negative) for STD’s before any relations occurred (and we are both middle-aged). So if I am now positive somehow months after our breakup for chlamydia, I would of feel compelled to contact the ex-boyfriend, because it must mean he was also positive. But of course I don’t want to go through that if it’s at all possible I contracted it in some other way. I am really hoping it’s not an STD. The doctor also mentioned something about Cat Scratch disease, as I have been exposed to cat scratches from pets.
I forgot to add: After my third full day of Vigamox 4x daily, the eye doesn’t seem to have improved too much…
you have ruled out chlamydia.
the swollen gland is very suspicious for cat scratch, but it’s usually a self-limited disease and should be gone after a few weeks after your last exposure- unless you keep getting scratched (even tiny ones that you can barely notice).
after weeks of treatment, i would doubt that more vigamox is going to help- this does not sound like a typical bacterial conjunctivitis. maybe it’s something in the tear duct? you may need a second opinion if this does not improve. 9i assume your cornea and anterior chamber are clear and therefore there is no suspicion of herpes)
Yes…I just found out the chlamydia is ruled out. The urinalysis I went in for has just come back negative. So now I’m waiting for my eye culture results. He took several (six containers) and at least one is checking for viruses. I’ve had four eye doctors look at me over the course of the illness. I’ve asked about herpes and they have all brushed it aside.
Now that I know it’s not an STD, I’m relieved but still perplexed. And yes, I have had repeated visble small scratches from playing with my cat, including one that caused a little blister that will not heal after several weeks. The Dr. prescribed a Z-Pak in case it’s Cat Scrach disease, but I’m waiting to start those meds until after I get the culture results. It looks like the Vigamox isn’t active against the Cat Scratch bacteria, as far as what I’ve read online.
The main area of irritation is indeed next to my tear duct. I will ask him more about that if the cultures don’t reveal anything. And I will post here with the outcome.
Thank you very, very much for your input.
A few days ago my 2yr old son woke up with a runny nose. The next day it was a runny nose and a cough. I didn’t think much of it besides a common cold because his nose wasn’t mucousy, only clear. That is, until the next morning when his eye was glued shut with crust and mucous. So, I took him to the doctor. They told me he had an conjunctivitis eye infection, and prescribed him vigamox. The first time I used it, he developed red spots and bumps all over his face like hives. The second time I used it on him, the hives spread all over his body and lasted for about three hours. I haven’t used it again today, although it’s instructed to be used 3 times a day. Now I just don’t know what to do. His eye is cleared up for the most part, but he’s still has a cough and runny nose.
a body rash would be pretty rare from a drop, so ordinarily i think you should call your doctor and get another drop. since he’s getting better, and it sounds like he had a cold in the eye (viral conjunctivitis), i doubt he needs anything anyway.
Hello, I’m the type of person that rarely goes to the dr unless necessary. My daughter had pink eye for a week and she cleared up. Soon after I started w the symptoms 5 days ago and I bought similisan drops and didn’t help. Since my eye was red and area was mildly swollen I decided to visit the E.R on day 4, which was last night Aug 12 (the same day as day 4 my other eye began getting red but no swelling). Now I may also note that I had been working 12 hours all those days w roughly 5 hrs of sleep. I wear contacts but I immediately removed them when redness began. Now this is my question they injected me w a muscualr antibiotic and prescribed vigamox, keflex, and bactrim ds. I’m in bed resting it all off and have taken the meds and they feel good but is it safe to take that many antibiotics? Also how long after taking them can I expect to feel redness gone? Thanks ahead of time
intramuscular antibx? very strange- not sure what to make of it. also, dont know why you are taking bactrim and keflex for mere conjunctivitis. i am not getting enough info here- doesnt make sense. something else is going on- maybe they suspect cellulitis?
I accidentally used vigamox for nearly a month without realizing that only 7 days were described by my doctor. What will be my side effect if any ?. Please give me your professional advice as I am really concerned.
Without hearing more, I would say nothing to worry about, but as always in such situations, please consult your doctor.
Thank you doctor for all the information. I have recurring flare ups of red eye in my left eye. One ophthalmologist diagnosed herpes keratitis based on ulceration while at another time another doc diagnosed blepharitis. This current outbreak my GP has me on Vigamox and arithromycin based on swelling around the eye! Can one condition cause so many symptoms?
what do you mean by “so many symptoms”? all you state is “flare ups”.
arithromycin is great for blepharitis, which typically waxes and wanes throughout life, and therefore needs life-long treatment. herpes keratitis is a very different disease- sometimes hard to diagnose after the acute event. perhaps you should see a cornea specialist for 1 more opinion.
Ok. So I went to my doctor Monday morning and told him the same story about the e.r as I told u on Saturday. Was prescribed keflex bactrim and vigamox. According to the e.r doctor he didn’t like the fact that I had a fever of 101 and that my face looked a little swollen on my cheek area so he said that his evaluation was facial cellulitis w eye conjectuvitis. He didn’t do a culture test and I don’t know why but I did get that muscle injection antibiotic. Now on Monday morning I went to my regular doc and she told me he though I “may” have been coming down w cellulitis and he didn’t like the fact that I was starting a fever so she said he took an aggresive move to give me those medications. Although she also didn’t like the fact that I’m taking two oral antibiotics. She told me to discontinue the bactrim after day 5 and just continue the vigamox and keflex as noted. My eyes aren’t sore anymore and no itch and no gluey residue. I am also not affected to the light and they’re not pink more like a light pink and white. I feel I’m getting better and today the doctor said it was more than likely bacterial since the meds kicked in 4 days til major improvement. Do u agree w what she says? Also should I stop using the bactrim twice a day on day 5 like she says?
hard to say. best advice at this point is to continue the keflex and vigamox for the full course.
i was diagnosed with viral pink eye, and the doctor gave me vigamox to use it every 2 hours for ten day, and a cream to put at night.. i didnt use it every 2 hours, i use it 4 times aday and For the first 5 days it got worse, i stoppped the cream and after two days it became better…then i went to the doctor again and he told me that im 70% ok but i should use the med 1 more week, so i put the cream again in the same night, and i woke up with pain and all redness and swollen came back again.. …
By searching the net i found that there is no cure for and it should run it corse… So i will stop the all the med…..its day 10 now.. im so sadddd… Sorry about my english
dont be sad. im sure you will be fine!
My Grandson stuck a stick in his eye and and is going to have to have cataract surgery.The emergency doctors glued the cut on his eye and prescribed vigamox every two hours around the clock. He is five years old and it is becoming difficult to wake him in the middle of the night to administer the drops. Do you think using the drops every two hours until he falls asleep is okay. Or should we continue to wake him during the night?
off the record i would say its probably not necessary to wake him up, as there is no good evidence that antibiotic drops really can prevent infection inside the eyeball from a foreign body. why not just put a few drops on the inner corner of his eye as he lays flat, then gently lift his eyelid just slightly- the medicine will fall right into his eye. i advise this to all my patients, young or old, who have trouble taking drops. it’s wasteful, but it works.
Pink Eye has been going through my childrens school for the past 2 months – My first 2 children had it last month and it cleared up within 24 hours on AK-TOB drops. (I continued the drops 3x a day for 5 days as prescribed). My third child has it now and it is so much worse – eye swollen shut! I started her on the refill of AK-TOB yesterday that I had filled and called my doctor thinking that the bacteria is simply getting resistant to the drops since it has been passed to over 100 children in the school. He prescribed Moxeza. She has now had 1 dose of AK-TOB and 2 doses of Moxeza – which one is better and which should I continue using?
i am not familiar with moxeza. if the eye is so swollen shut, i would see an ophthalmologist
Sorry but I disagree, there are few body parts I don’t like to gamble with, one of them being the eye. I’d rather have a “superdrug” over an “oldie but goodie” for almost anything anyway. The concept of saving 60-70 dollars on something as important as your health, specially your eyes, is somewhat backwards to me. Forgo the extra clothes, going out, or anything else and get the medicine please. Yeah we’re on a recession but 90 bux is what we spend at the movies or any restaurant these days, it’s not world shattering money.
Just the opposite, if I go to the doctor and he prescribes me something and later I find out there was a more expensive and better option an he didn’t even give me the choice I would be downrating him on md reviews and really angry and have had a doctors office refund me exam and med. A doctor prescribed me sulfa once, I asked for something else…
i respectfully, and in strong terms, disagree. a doctor who answers like this on his boards would fail immediately. no infectious disease doctor thinks like this, and all they do all day is teach doctors just the opposite. in fact, it is precisely this kind of thinking which leads to resistance among “superdrugs” and created the disaster of mrsa and other bugs that we just cant kill, and so people die. especially in conjunctivitis, which goes away whether you treat it or not (i dont even treat my own children), it is plain silly and wasteful to use a superdrug. it would no different that using a superdrug after you pop a zit- thats how silly it is. of course, in serious infections, the infectious disease doctors will urge superdrugs. but in order for superdrugs to remain “super”, your thinking must be rejected. its not just cost (and cost is important, for there are only “x” dollars, and if you waste it on superdrugs, there wont be enough money for other important things). using superdrugs when not truly necessary is just plain bad medicine and increases the odds of resistance.
Dr. Weitzner,
I’m a 39 year old female. I was exposed to someone who had pink eye December 25th. He was prescribed Gentamicin Sulfate and I never saw him again until January 1st his eye looked normal and this is why he was able to get together with his friends for new year’s day. Before I even saw my friend I had develop a sore throat at the time I thought it was just a cold coming but it never changed. Yesterday although I was still having lots of pain I went snowboarding. I was sweating very much and the temperature was very low. Once I got home I took a hot shower and realized my right eye was a bit pink. I thought it was maybe just the shampoo or the steam for the shower and I didn’t think much about it. This morning I woke up with my eye shut close and a clear discharge all over it. I was afraid I might have hit my eye somehow snowboarding. I was not wearing eye protection and thought maybe the snow blowing straight to my face hit my eye causing the redness. My left eye by now also has clear discharge. I do not have any itching or pain. My eyes are not swollen but they are irritated from me cleaning them over and over. I currently do not have insurance but I do have recent medicine prescribed to me from when I had Lasik surgery about six months ago. I checked the date on the drops and they are still good. I have Vigamox .05 and Omnipred eyes. I know you would not normally prescribed Vigamox but it’s all I have now. My questions are the following, do you think I could use both drops? and how often? Is there anything over the counter I can buy to help me. I’m also afraid of getting better and getting contiguous again from touching something around the house I have touch and its infected. How long can the virus or bacteria live on things? Someone had also mentioned that maybe what I have it related to my sore throat. Can this be possible? It’s my first time I have ever had what I think is “pink eye”. Thank you for any insight you can provide me with.
Regards,
Mary
I forgot to mentioned I also have Tobradex ointment. I researched online and I believe is used for pink eye. I do not how often I should apply it or if I should use something else.
Mary
looks like you have typical viral conjunctivitis- the sore throat certainly suggests it. i would leave it alone. you are contagious for about a week. i dont know how long the virus can survive on surfaces- but typically, it is spread via hand to mouth, and we advise not to share towels or pillowcases. we dont catch disease by by sweat or heat or cold. its the virus.
I would disagree about waiting two weeks. I waited a week for my son, and he almost wound up with permanent vision loss. He ended up with the strep causing bacteria in his eye. He had blisters on his retina when I finally took him to the eye doctor. Two days of Vigamox and he looked 100% better. I’m so happy my optometrist treated his symptoms aggressively. She’s the best!
You can’t possibly mean blisters on retina. Maybe you meant on conjunctiva or cornea? Strep invading retina would mean your child was admitted to the ICU. Cerainly would not treat strep invasion of retina with vigamox drops- it would absolutely mean IV antibiotics, again probably in the ICU, and it most certainly would not resolve in a couple of days.
I also treat conjunctivitis when I suspect its bacterial. We all do. The issue here is treating what looks and smells like viral conjunctivitis, which good doctors know is a bad idea and only increases odds of more resistant oranisms we CAN’T treat.
My 5 year old is c/o that her eyes are itchy and they burn. I have noticed her eyes are red with a thick yellow drainage that looks like pus. Her eyes also stick together. She doesn’t c/o of any blurred vision or vision changes except when she looks at bright lights. The pain is not too bad. She has no other complaints but does go to day care a few days a week where there are other kids who have had similar symptoms. Is this bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye)? What would you prescribe and how long should I keep her out of daycare? What are some other alternative medications? How can I comfort her and provide infection control besides handwashing? Thank you.
My 6 year old has pinkeye and was prescribed sulfacetmide na 10% and has been taking for 3 days her eyes are less red and still a bit crusty when can she return to school ?
if it looks like pus, it is likely bacterial and should be treated with antibiotic drops. i would keep her away from daycare for about a week. hand-washing is best way to control spread.
About a month, or so, ago, I came down with conjuntivitis, and was prescribed a course of polymyxin-b/trimethoprimopth solution. 1-2 drops every 4-6 hours for five days. By day 4, it burned like acid to put it in my eye. On day 5, there was no improvement. I self administered for another two days, just in case. No improvement.
Returned to clinic, was reassessed, and given ofloxacin. Instill two drops four times daily, for five days. Within 24 hours, there was a 85% improvement, significant reduction in redness, no itching, and no discharge to speak of. By day five, improvement had reached about 95%. Remained on treatment another two days, but the symptoms have gotten worse. Itchy, light swelling, redness, a whitish, stringy, sticky discharge. No ear issues, no throat issues.
Any thoughts on what the next treatment might be?
I’ve read through the comments and appreciate all the info, but I was wondering if oral antibiotics are also neccesary for a 20 month-old if the pink eye (began 5 days ago and consists of redness and swelling around the eye and moderate yellow thick drainage) seems to be associated with occasional fever, sore throat, nasal drainage, and pulling at the right ear. She had a cold with nasal symptoms and fussiness prior to the pink eye developing. The fever was first noted 1 day after the red pussy eyes and she began pulling at her right ear and speaking with a hoarse voice 3 days later. She seems to get 4-5 colds each winter (this is her 2nd so far this winter) and they often include pulling at ears, but never much of a fever. She has never been on any medications, and I’d rather not have her take oral antibiotics if they are not needed. We are keeping her eyes clean with warm washcloths an needed (approx 6 times per day) but her eyes are worse everyday. I am also debating whether to take her to the eye doctor or to the NP who has done her well child exams.
oral antibiotics a good idea in a 20 month old if the conjunctivitis looks bad and may be spreading to the lids. it also sounds like baby has ear infection- for that, antibiotics typically have little efficacy according to an important article that came out a couple of years ago,..
Hi,
My son developed a low grade case of pink eye, both eyes were pink and had crust in the corners, and slimy crust on his eyes, i called the Pediatriacian the day i saw it come on. he gave him 1 Rx: Polymyxin B Sulfate and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic solution. his eyes seemed to clear up in the next 2 days!all gone!! My pedi said it should be all clear in 2 days wich it was… But 5 days later one of his upper eye lids swelled up and puffiness around the bottom, and i started given him the drops again bc i thought maybe its was somthing with the pink eye again and now the next day his other eye is swollen, so now both eyes are swollen. Do u you know whats going on? do u know why 1 eye reacted a day after the other?
you should not have stopped treatment after 2 days for a presumed bacterial infection. otherwise, you just kill off the weaker, susceptible bacteria, while the stronger ones thrive and are harder to kill. as a general rule in medicine, one needs to treat an infection for at least 7 days, even if it looks all better.
sounds like your child simply had a recurrence after inadequate treatment. why 1 eye takes a day longer than other- no good reason. re-start the drops and take for a full week and go back to ophthalmologist if not getting better.
How soon can a child return to school after starting Moxeza? I had a healthcare provider state that after one dose the child can return to school–and said there is research to support this. Any thoughts?
for viral conjunctivitis, we typically keep kids out of school for a week. for bacterial, i usually allow them to return when the discharge stops. i am not familiar with any research on this.
Put in new contacts with new solution @ 630 am. By 10 am right eye red. Took contacts out. By 4 pm had yellow discharge from left eye. I keep seeing references to contact lens wearers with all bets off? I just started Vigamox but am wondering if as a contact lens wearer I should do more? Also could the lens or solution been contaminated? Just opened but the infection was so rapid!
Thanks for your response.
likely a reaction to new solution- go back to your old brand.
a red eye in a contact lens wearer can be serious- use vigamox every 15 min for 6 hours, the every hour, and see an ophthalmologist very soon, like today or tomorrow.
Very thankful to be able to ask this question. My 9 year old son woke up with crusty, very red eyes. It was Saturday (pedi closed) so I started vigamox I had on-hand (new bottle). Twenty four hours later his eyes are still exceptionally red and crusty again when he woke up. They look even worse.
I have 3 boys and we’ve had pink eye over the years, and this looked the same initially. But today his eyes are even redder and angrier-looking, than I’ve ever seen in my kids. I cleaned the crustiness off his eyes with warm water/cloth, and did more drops.
Does this sound viral? In the past, vigamox always cleared up the infection in a day or so. It’s scary to see his eyes so red. I’m thinking I will take him to the urgent pedi care today when they open.
It’s freaking me out a bit if there’s nothing that can be done. I’m washing/cleaning like crazy- is it possible that my other kids won’t get it? I keep reading how contagious it is. Eek! Thank you for your insight.
since you started the vigamox, continue 4 times a day. if not a lot better by tomorrow, go to ophthalmologist.
Is it really unsafe to use Vigamox after the 28 day expiration?
expired medicines are not unsafe- just slightly less effective.
Hi this is very informative. I have gotten pink eye since two days. First day it was red and with lot of yellow-green discharge and i used naphazoline drops to get rid of redness. I dint have runny nose or sore throat. Second day i felt some throat irritation with less discharge and very less redness. I used zaditor from second day. On third day, sore throat cleared up, no discharge, very less redness but my pain on eyelids started. I do not want the extreme treatments and this is why i am asking you here. Should i see dr?
Forgot to mention, claritin that i started taking from first day and i suspect pollen allergy but previously i got watery eyes but never conjunctivitis due to pollen.
my 3 month old son has been prescribed vigamox…there was lot of sticky discharge coming out if the eye….now eye is fine bur still doc says to put the drops.for 3 more months for first 15 days…somehow i feel its a strong drug..should that be given to a four month old child?
My 16 month old had what appeared to be a stye on his eyelid beneath the eyelash on Sunday. By Monday morning his eyelid was swollen. My husband took him to the pediatrician and was prescribed vigamox. When I got home around 2:30 the swelling seem to have decrease; however, after using the drop, the eyelid got red and swollen. Took him back to the pediatrician the next morning, as the eye was swollen shut by the time he woke up. However, upon getting to the doctor’s office, the swelling had reduced a bit. It’s 4 days later and his eye is still swollen. The medication doesn’t seem to be helping. His eyelid is red and swollen and the swelling no longer decrease once he’s awake and active. Could he be allergic to this medication? The one thing I had noticed earlier is that his eyelid seem to get red and swollen after administering the drop. Your thoughts please.
Thanks
3 more months for 15 days? im not sure what that means.
conjunctivitis typically should be treated no more than 7-10 days.
to shreya-
sounds like you have a viral ilness. if you don’t wear contact lenses, and if no better in a week, see doctor
to maureen:
a stye that does not resolve may be a chalazion, which requires hot compresses and antibiotic/steroid ointment. i advise going to the ophthalmologist. allergy to vigamox is pretty rare.
Hi Dr, dt : 21-04-2012
Kaushal (India -Gujarat-Anand)
My daughter had red eye on 2 nd march & 3 rd march both eye was red ( age – 5 months) , eye specialist first give us ( Gatilox – eye drop) its give us good result but after 4 to 5 days , 1 eye had swelling and so much red then eye specialist give us Nebracin Eye Ointment but after 2 to 3 days 1 eye was so much red then Eye specialist give us Vigamox , on 16th March she was good but , my wife , my father ,my Mother & self have red eye , and so much swelling and from 15 th we have lots of trouble, we were 3 times went to eye specialist thy give us” Gatifloxacin plus ketorolac ophthalmic solutation ” and “carboxymethylcellulose sodium lubricant eye drops” but on morning we all have so much swelling and eyes are so much red, tell me sir ,which disease we all have ? We have Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) ?
Please give us your comment or Advise good medicine.
Regards,
Kaushal Saraiya
sounds like viral conjunctivitis, like ekc. there’s nothing to do except wait for it to clear. consider a mild topical steroid drop.
My 4 yo daughter had a viral infection (moderate cold) that led to pink eye. It was immediately treated with Vigamox and within 24 hours had a severe allergic reaction causing swelling in both eyes, hypersensitivity to light and extreme restlessness. Although slowly improving after 24 hours without vigamox…Should we treat the reaction? Or just give it time? Thanks.
sounds viral, and i would leave it alone as long as it’s slowly improving.