How To Use Ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan)

Ciprofloxacin comes in the form of a liquid and ointment. The eye drops and eye ointments need to be applied to the affected eye frequently, for example, every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes, every hour, every 2 hours, or every 4 hours. The treatment duration is typically 7-14 days. You may need to instill the medicine at different frequencies during the treatment. For example, your doctor may ask you to use the eye drops in the affected eye hourly or more frequently for the first 2 days and every 4 hours after that.

Read the prescription label carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don’t understand the dosing instructions for Ciloxan eye drops or ointment.

Your eye pain and other symptoms should start to improve after starting appropriate therapy with ciprofloxacin. Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or get worse. Finish the prescribed course of ciprofloxacin even if you are feeling better. Skipping doses or stopping treatment too soon can lead to incomplete treatment of the infection, causing it to come back and become harder to treat in the future.  

Steps for the application of ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan) eye drops

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Examine the dropper tip to make sure it is not damaged. To prevent contamination, do not touch the dropper to anything, including your eye. Tilt your head back and pull your lower lid down with your index finger to create a small pocket. Hold the dropper tip close to your eye without touching the eye surface. Look upward and squeeze the dropper to release 1-2 drops of the medicine as prescribed into the pocket in your lower eyelid. Gently close your eye for a couple of minutes, keeping your head tilted down. Avoid blinking or squeezing your eyelid. Apply gentle pressure on the tear duct to help with absorption. Wipe excess fluid with a tissue. Wait at least 5 minutes before applying another eye drop to the same eye. Replace the dropper in the bottle right away. Do not rinse or wipe the dropper. Wash your hands again to remove any residual medicine.

Steps for the application of ciprofloxacin eye ointment

You can ask someone to apply the ointment for you, or you can do it yourself by standing in front of a mirror. Wash your hands with soap and water before applying eye medicine. Do not touch the tip of the tube to anything, including your eye surface. Hold the tube between your thumb and index finger, near your eye, but without touching it. Brace your other fingers against your nose or cheek. Pull your lower lid down to form a small pocket. Place a 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) ribbon of ointment in the pocket. Look down and keep your eye closed for a couple of minutes. Replace the cap on the ointment tube right away to avoid contamination. Wipe any excess ointment with a tissue. Wash your hands again to remove any residual medicine.

Missed dose: If you miss a dose of ciprofloxacin ophthalmic, apply it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and apply the next dose according to your regular dosing schedule. Do not apply a double dose or extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Storage: Store ciprofloxacin ophthalmic at room temperature (between 15-30° C or 59-86° F) away from moisture, heat, and direct light in a tightly closed container. Do not store medications in the bathroom where they can be exposed to moisture and heat. Keep all medications safely out of reach of children and pets.

Unused medicine: Unused ciprofloxacin for topical ocular administration should be disposed of in a way that children, other people, and pets cannot get to them. Do not throw ciprofloxacin in the trash or flush it down the toilet. The best way to properly discard expired or unneeded ophthalmic ciprofloxacin is through a drug take-back program or your local waste disposal company. Learn more about proper medication disposal. 

NOTE: This medication guide is a summary and may not contain all possible drug information on ciprofloxacin hydrochloride for ophthalmic use. The information contained here may not be up-to-date. This sheet is for information purposes only. If you have questions about ciprofloxacin ophthalmic, talk to your doctor for medical advice.

Discounted prices for hydrochloride (Ciloxan)
 start at $65.59.

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