Ocuflox
Ocuflox is a 0.3% ofloxacin eye drop in bottles, used to clear bacterial conjunctivitis (a bacterial infection of the eye's surface).
- Category
- Antibiotics · Eye Care
- Active ingredient
- Ofloxacin
- Route
- Topical
- Form
- Eye drops
- Strengths
- 0.3%
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Bacterial conjunctivitis
- Therapeutic Class
- Antibiotic
- Pharmacological Class
- Fluoroquinolone
- Minor Side Effects
- Stinging, Temporary blurred vision
- Moderate Side Effects
- Eye discomfort, Itching
- Dosage Forms
- Eye drops
- Administration Route
- Topical
- Originator
- Allergan
- Onset Time
- 1 hour
- Duration
- 6 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store in a cool dry place.
- Drug Interactions
- Other eye drops
What you will receive
Ocuflox is the originator brand name, made by Allergan. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Ocuflox.
- The same active ingredient (Ofloxacin) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Can I buy Ocuflox by the bottle?
Ocuflox comes as 0.3% bottles in packs of 2 to 6. It is generic ofloxacin, not the original Ocuflox. Larger packs cost less per bottle.
What arrives when I order Ocuflox for delivery to Hong Kong?
Your Ocuflox bottles arrive in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing outside about the contents. If a parcel does not arrive within the delivery window, or arrives damaged, it is sent again free; if that is not possible, the order is refunded.
What other names is ofloxacin sold under?
Ocuflox and Floxin are brand names of ofloxacin, which is also sold as Exocin, Tarivid, Zanocin and Oflocet. Here, ofloxacin can be bought online as generic Ocuflox, and also as generic Floxin. These are generics, not the original brand.
What is Ocuflox used for?
It clears bacterial conjunctivitis — a bacterial infection of the clear membrane over the white of the eye and inside the lids — and other bacterial infections of the eye's surface. It is not for viral or allergic eye problems, so a watery, itchy eye with no discharge is unlikely to improve with it.
How long does Ocuflox take to work?
Discharge and irritation often ease within two or three days, while redness can take a little longer to fade. If the eye is no better after a few days, or looks worse, the infection may not be bacterial, and the same bottle of drops will not fix that.
Can I wear contact lenses while using Ocuflox?
Leave them out for the whole course and until the eye has settled. Lenses hold bacteria against the surface of the eye and slow healing, and an infected eye is usually too uncomfortable for them anyway.
Can I use artificial tears with Ocuflox?
Yes, but space them about fifteen minutes apart. A lubricating drop used straight after Ocuflox can wash the antibiotic off the eye before it has had time to work, so put Ocuflox in first and wait before the tears.
About Ocuflox
A 0.3% ofloxacin eye drop for infected, sticky eyes
Ocuflox is ofloxacin 0.3%, an antibiotic eye drop for infections on the surface of the eye. Bacterial conjunctivitis — infection of the clear membrane that lines the lids and covers the white of the eye — is the usual reason it is bought: a red, gritty eye with yellow or green discharge that glues the lashes together, often starting in one eye. Ofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone. It gets inside the bacteria and blocks the enzymes they use to copy their DNA, so the infection stops spreading and the eye's own defences clear what is left. Viral and allergic eye problems are a different matter, and sticky discharge in one eye is the clue that bacteria are involved.
How to put the drops in
Wash your hands first. Tilt your head back, pull the lower lid down into a small pocket, look up and let one or two drops fall in. Keep the bottle tip away from your eye, lid and fingers; a tip that picks up bacteria turns the bottle into a source of infection. Close the eye for a moment and blot any overflow with a tissue. The usual course starts with one or two drops every two to four hours for the first two days, then about four times a day until it finishes. Keep going even once the eye looks clear.
What you might notice
A sting or burn as the drop goes in is the most common complaint, and it passes within seconds; vision can blur for a minute or two. Redness, itching or a watery eye happen to some people. A salty taste in the throat is just tears draining into the nose. Stop the drops and get urgent help if the lids, face or throat swell, or if breathing becomes difficult — that is an allergic reaction, not a side effect to sit out.
Ocuflox or Floxin tablets?
Ofloxacin also comes as tablets. Floxin 100mg, 200mg and 400mg tablets are swallowed for bacterial infections elsewhere in the body, such as chest, urine and skin infections. Same ingredient, different job: the tablets treat an infection inside the body, while Ocuflox is a sterile solution dropped straight onto the eye. If you searched for ofloxacin expecting a tablet, the Floxin listing is the one to look at.
Keeping the bottle usable
Put the cap back on straight away, keep the bottle in its box somewhere cool and out of direct sun, and never let anyone else use it. An opened bottle does not stay sterile, so throw it out 28 days after the first use even if drops remain. Leftover drops from an old eye infection are not worth keeping for the next red eye.
Sources
- Ofloxacin: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Bacterial infections - symptoms, causes and treatments - Healthdirect — Healthdirect Australia