Tobramycin And Dexamethasone (Ophthalmic)

Brand Names : Tobradex

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to tobramycin or related medicines (amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, netilmicin, streptomycin) or to dexamethasone. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies with ophthalmic tobramycin and dexamethasone have not been done in humans. However, in animals, the dexamethasone part of the medicine caused birth defects when it was applied to the eyes.

Breast-feeding - It is not known how much ophthalmic tobramycin and dexamethasone is absorbed into the body, or how much passes into breast milk. Discuss with your doctor whether or not you should breast-feed during treatment with this medicine.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of ophthalmic tobramycin and dexamethasone in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of ophthalmic tobramycin and dexamethasone in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Glaucoma - The dexamethasone in the eyedrops may cause glaucoma or make it worse if the eyedrops are used for a long time

• Herpes infection of the eye or
• Any other eye infection, including bacterial and fungal - The dexamethasone in the eyedrops may make existing infections worse or cause new infections