Neomycin + Dexamethasone Eye Drops

This is a combination eye medication that contains:

• Neomycin – an antibiotic

• Dexamethasone – a corticosteroid

It is used to treat bacterial eye infections where there is also inflammation, redness, and swelling.

Components and Their Roles

1. Neomycin

   • Type: Aminoglycoside antibiotic

   • Action: Stops bacteria from making proteins they need to survive.

   • Purpose: Kills or controls bacteria causing infections like conjunctivitis, blepharitis, or keratitis.

2. Dexamethasone

   • Type: Corticosteroid

   • Action: Reduces inflammation, pain, redness, and swelling.

   • Purpose: Improves comfort, prevents scarring, and protects eye tissues during healing.

Common Uses

• Bacterial conjunctivitis with significant inflammation

• Blepharitis (eyelid infection with swelling)

• Keratitis (corneal infection)

• Post-surgery or eye injury to control infection risk and reduce inflammation

Advantages

• Treats both the infection and the inflammation in a single medication

• Reduces pain, swelling, and redness faster than antibiotic alone

• Convenient for patients — fewer drops to manage

Possible Side Effects

From Neomycin:

• Temporary burning or stinging after use

• Allergic reactions (redness, swelling, itching) — more common than with some other antibiotics

From Dexamethasone:

• Can raise intraocular pressure (risk of glaucoma with long-term use)

• May delay wound healing

• Can worsen viral or fungal eye infections if used incorrectly

Precautions

• Should be used under medical supervision — especially if used for more than a week.

• Avoid if you have a known allergy to neomycin (can cause contact dermatitis).

• Not for viral (e.g., herpes) or fungal eye infections.

• Avoid touching the dropper tip to prevent contamination.