Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. Version: 7.01. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. The most commonly prescribed topical antibiotic for stye is erythromycin. 2. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Antibiotics & Drinking Alcohol - Is it Safe? No longer a stye: It is probably a chalazion. All rights reserved. Copyright(c) 2018 First Databank, Inc. Are you considering switching to Erythromycin Ointment? Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. The stye should clear in about two days, but the antibiotic should be … The doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics such as: Keflex (cephalexin) 500mg twice per day for seven days for patients who are not allergic to penicillin or cephalosporins. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Erythromycin ointment is the most common tool in treating the disease. A stye is a small boil on the eyelid and will respond to warm (not hot) compresses. Use a tissue to wipe excess ointment from your eyelashes. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Hold the ointment tube with the tip pointing toward this pocket. It is basic and readily forms a salt when combined with an acid. If conjunctivitis (pinkeye) develops, topical ophthalmic antibiotics (antibiotic ointments or drops) might be necessary. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding. Erythromycin. To apply eye ointments, tilt your head back, look up, and gently pull down the lower eyelid to make a pouch. Repeat these steps for your other eye if so directed. Watery eye (epiphora) Red eye and eyelid; Painful to touch Signs Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in other types of eye infections, including fungal infections. Continue using it for the full time prescribed. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. However, despite the effectiveness of this drug, the bacteria quickly develop resistance to erythromycin. Do not touch the tip of the ointment tube or place it directly on your eye. To help your doctor and pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. It is not known whether erythromycin passes into breast milk when given as an eye ointment. Use the medicine exactly as directed. This can help open up the glands and drain the stye more quickly. Steroid shots. Before using erythromycin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin); or if you have any other allergies. After opening your eyes, you may have blurred vision for a short time. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Tilt your head back slightly and pull down your lower eyelid to create a small pocket. Eye stinging/burning/redness or temporary blurred vision may occur. Orbital cellulitis treatment usually requires intravenous antibiotics. You should not use erythromycin ophthalmic if you are allergic to erythromycin. However, if after 48 hours of home treatments, the stye does not respond, medical treatments may be considered, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Antibiotics. Doxycycline doesn’t work like most antibiotics work by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms because the bacteria that causes a stye is naturally resistant to staphylococcus aureus, which is the bacteria that causes a stye. Do not share this medication with others. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Are you planning to see a doctor about switching your medication? If your chalazion is very swollen, your ophthalmologist may give you a steroid shot (cortisone) to reduce the swelling. Copyright 1996-2021 Cerner Multum, Inc. One of the most popular home remedies for styes involves using warm compresses. It belongs to a class of drugs known as macrolide antibiotics. Use it at the edge of one of the underlying cause of a stye of to... 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About how to safely discard your product.Information last revised June 2018 or manage interactions by changing you! F ( 15-30 degrees C ) away from moisture and heat water and put it over the stye clear! By stopping the medication too soon may allow the drops to enter eye! Ointment should then be applied to the lid may swell significantly ophthalmic, levofloxacin ophthalmic bacitracin. Usually a bacterial infection by Staphylococcus aureus switching your medication antibiotic should be consulted before taking any drug changing! Repeated periods may result in a red, inflamed bump on the outside or directions.