Having good eyesight is certainly a blessing. By having eyes, we are able to see the wonders of the world and actually a means of survival as it keeps us away from danger. If a person’s eye is damaged and becomes permanently blind, it is almost impossible to restore the eyesight especially when the optic nerve is already damaged. Hence, it is important for humans to really take care of the eyes by practising good eye care.
Just like any other body part, the eyes are also susceptible to damages and infections. We all probably had experienced having a red eye in one or both eyes at least once in a lifetime. When this red eye begins to cause us discomfort, we will try to find medicine to help relieve this discomfort caused by this red eye condition. One of the medicines that is usually used to treat red eye or other eye disease is gentamicin eye drops.
Gentamicin eye drops is an antibiotic to treat eye infections especially caused by bacteria. Sometimes, it is used to prevent any possible infection after an eye injury or surgery. Gentamicin works by killing the bacteria from further infecting the eyes. The way gentamicin works is by preventing synthesis (production) of protein needed by the bacteria to function and live. When the protein needed by the bacteria becomes low, it triggers accumulation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) which leads to bacterial death. It is a broad-spectrum type of antibiotic which means it is capable of killing almost all bacteria (except streptococci and anaerobic bacteria).
Gentamicin eye drops are really easy to use. Get the dropper close to the eyes and avoid touching the eye while in head tilt back position, hold the dropper while aiming to the inside of the lower eyelid area and gently squeeze to release the gentamicin. Close your eyes and keep it shut for at least 1 minute. By making sure the eye drops enter the inside of the lower eyelid area, the eye drops would not spill out of the eye and the eyes can receive maximum benefits from the gentamicin eye drops.
Gentamicin eye drops help relieve symptoms such as eye pain, redness and itching. It is important to note that not all red eye cases or eye infections need antibacterial eye drops such as this gentamicin eye drops. Hence, when a person is having a red eye or any sign of eye disorder such as pain, swelling, itchiness, changes in vision such as blurry eyes, eye discharge or any physical changes to the area around the eye, the person needs to meet a doctor first. The doctor will then evaluate the eyes and provide the right treatment.
The possible reason why gentamicin eye drops are usually prescribed by doctors and cannot be used freely without any verified medical indication is to avoid the public misuse of this eye drop. Since it belongs to the antibiotic group, it is important that the person using it does have infection caused by bacteria and not by another pathogen such as virus or fungus. Just as with oral antibiotics, these gentamicin eye drops need to be finished according to the course of treatment and dose set by the doctor examining the eye. Common side effects of this medicine are temporary eye irritation, burning sensation and short-term blurry vision during the first use. If the side effect persists or worsening, do consult the doctor first before deciding to stop the eye drops medication. Avoid using contact lenses when using this medicine or while the eye infection is still ongoing.
