Levofloxacin (Ophthalmic route)

Pronunciation:

lee-voe-FLOX-a-sin

Brand Names:

Iquix
Quixin

Dosage Forms:

Solution

Classifications:

Therapeutic—

Antibiotic

Chemical—

Fluoroquinolone

Uses of This Medicine:

Ophthalmic levofloxacin is used in the eye to treat bacterial infections of the eye. Ophthalmic levofloxacin works by killing bacteria.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using This Medicine:

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking 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 this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Children—

Use is not recommended in infants under 1 year of age. In children older than 1 year, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

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. Although there is no specific information comparing use of levofloxacin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Breast-feeding—

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

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. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Bepridil
Cisapride
Dronedarone
Levoketoconazole
Mesoridazine
Pimozide
Piperaquine
Saquinavir
Sparfloxacin
Terfenadine
Thioridazine
Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Acarbose
Acecainide
Acenocoumarol
Adagrasib
Albiglutide
Alfuzosin
Alogliptin
Amiodarone
Amisulpride
Amitriptyline
Anagrelide
Apomorphine
Aripiprazole
Aripiprazole Lauroxil
Arsenic Trioxide
Asenapine
Astemizole
Atazanavir
Azithromycin
Bedaquiline
Betamethasone
Bretylium
Budesonide
Buprenorphine
Bupropion
Buserelin
Canagliflozin
Ceritinib
Chloroquine
Chlorpromazine
Chlorpropamide
Cholera Vaccine, Live
Ciprofloxacin
Citalopram
Clarithromycin
Clofazimine
Clomipramine
Clothiapine
Clozapine
Corticotropin
Cortisone
Cosyntropin
Crizotinib
Cyclobenzaprine
Dabrafenib
Dapagliflozin
Dasatinib
Deflazacort
Degarelix
Delamanid
Desipramine
Deslorelin
Deutetrabenazine
Dexamethasone
Dexmedetomidine
Disopyramide
Dofetilide
Dolasetron
Domperidone
Donepezil
Doxepin
Droperidol
Dulaglutide
Ebastine
Efavirenz
Empagliflozin
Encorafenib
Entrectinib
Eribulin
Ertugliflozin
Erythromycin
Escitalopram
Etrasimod
Exenatide
Famotidine
Felbamate
Fexinidazole
Fingolimod
Flecainide
Fluconazole
Fludrocortisone
Fluocortolone
Fluoxetine
Formoterol
Foscarnet
Fosphenytoin
Fostemsavir
Galantamine
Gatifloxacin
Gemifloxacin
Gepirone
Glasdegib
Glimepiride
Glipizide
Glyburide
Gonadorelin
Goserelin
Granisetron
Halofantrine
Haloperidol
Histrelin
Hydrocortisone
Hydroquinidine
Hydroxychloroquine
Hydroxyzine
Ibutilide
Iloperidone
Imipramine
Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
Insulin
Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
Insulin Bovine
Insulin Degludec
Insulin Detemir
Insulin Glulisine
Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
Itraconazole
Ivabradine
Ivosidenib
Ketoconazole
Lapatinib
Lefamulin
Lenvatinib
Leuprolide
Linagliptin
Liraglutide
Lixisenatide
Lofexidine
Lumefantrine
Macimorelin
Magnesium Sulfate
Mefloquine
Metformin
Methadone
Methotrexate
Methylprednisolone
Metronidazole
Mifepristone
Miglitol
Mirtazapine
Mizolastine
Mobocertinib
Moricizine
Moxifloxacin
Nafarelin
Nateglinide
Nelfinavir
Nilotinib
Norfloxacin
Octreotide
Ofloxacin
Olanzapine
Ondansetron
Osilodrostat
Osimertinib
Oxaliplatin
Ozanimod
Pacritinib
Paliperidone
Panobinostat
Paroxetine
Pasireotide
Pazopanib
Pentamidine
Perphenazine
Phenobarbital
Pimavanserin
Pioglitazone
Pipamperone
Pitolisant
Ponesimod
Porfimer
Posaconazole
Pramlintide
Prednisolone
Prednisone
Primidone
Probucol
Procainamide
Prochlorperazine
Promethazine
Propafenone
Protriptyline
Quetiapine
Quinidine
Quinine
Quizartinib
Ranolazine
Rasagiline
Relugolix
Repaglinide
Ribociclib
Rilpivirine
Risperidone
Ritonavir
Rosiglitazone
Saxagliptin
Selpercatinib
Semaglutide
Sertindole
Sertraline
Sevoflurane
Siponimod
Sitagliptin
Sodium Phosphate
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
Solifenacin
Sorafenib
Sotalol
Sulpiride
Sunitinib
Tacrolimus
Tamoxifen
Telaprevir
Telavancin
Telithromycin
Tetrabenazine
Theophylline
Tolazamide
Tolbutamide
Tolterodine
Toremifene
Trazodone
Triamcinolone
Triclabendazole
Trimipramine
Triptorelin
Vandetanib
Vardenafil
Vemurafenib
Venlafaxine
Vilanterol
Vinflunine
Voclosporin
Voglibose
Voriconazole
Vorinostat
Warfarin
Zuclopenthixol

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Aminolevulinic Acid
Lanthanum Carbonate
Phenytoin

Other interactions—

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Proper Use of This Medicine:

Dosing—

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. 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. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

To use levofloxacin ophthalmic solution (eye drops):

First, wash your hands. Then tilt the head back and pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to form a pouch. Drop the medicine into the pouch and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to come into contact with the infection.
If you think you did not get the drop of medicine into your eyes properly, use another drop.
To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). Also, keep the container tightly closed.

For ophthalmic solution dosage form:
- For bacterial conjunctivitis:
  - Adults and children 1 year of age and older—Days 1 and 2: Put one to two drops in the affected eye(s) every two hours while awake. Do not put drops in more than 8 times a day. Days 3 through 7: Put one to two drops in the affected eye(s) every 4 hours while awake. Do not put drops in more than 4 times a day.
  - Infants and children up to 1 year of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed dose—

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage—

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Precautions While Using This Medicine:

If your eye infection does not improve within a few days, or if it becomes worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may cause your eyes to become more sensitive to light than they are normally. Wearing sunglasses and avoiding too much exposure to bright light may help lessen the discomfort.

Side Effects of This Medicine:

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common: Itching, pain, redness or swelling of eye or eyelid; watering of eyes; decreased vision; fever; feeling of having something in the eye; headache; hoarseness; eye burning, dryness, itching, or pain; increased sensitivity of eyes to light

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Last Updated: 4/24/2024

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