Zymar

Gatifloxacin eye drops are usually used for one week. On days 1 and 2, use one drop every 2 hours in the infected eye(s) while awake, up to 8 times a day. On days 3 to 7, use one drop 4 times a day while awake. You should space the doses evenly throughout the day.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are using the medication without consulting your doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you the correct method of applying eye drops.

To use the eye drops:

• Wash your hands before using the medication.
• Tilt your head back and look at the ceiling.
• Gently pull down the lower eyelid, creating a small pocket.
• Turn the bottle upside down and gently apply one drop into the affected eye.
• Let go of the lower lid and close your eyes for half a minute.

Take care to avoid contaminating the tip of the eye dropper. If you wear contact lenses, you should stop wearing them while you have the eye infection.

It is important to use Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not instill a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Store Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) at room temperature, and keep it out of the reach of children. Discard any remaining medication 28 days after opening the bottle.

Do not dispose of medications in wastewater (e.g. down the sink or in the toilet) or in household garbage. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medications that are no longer needed or have expired.

In addition to its desired action, this medication may cause some adverse effects, notably: when used, it may cause local irritation; it may cause watering of the eyes. Each person may react differently to a treatment. If you think this medication may be causing adverse effects (including those described here, or others), talk to your health care professional. He or she can help you to determine whether or not the medication is the source of the problem.

Each mL of sterile, clear, pale yellow, isotonic, unbuffered ophthalmic solution contains gatifloxacin 3 mg/mL (0.3%). Nonmedicinal ingredients: benzalkonium chloride 0.005% (as preservative), edetate disodium, purified water, and sodium chloride. May contain hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to adjust pH (target pH of 6).

Do not use Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) if you:

• are allergic to gatifloxacin or any ingredients of the medication
• are allergic to any fluoroquinolone antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, Ofloxacin, Norfloxacin)

Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications that you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the Nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:

• stop taking one of the medications,
• change one of the medications to another,
• change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
• leave everything as is.

An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or Allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent).

Allergic reactions: Gatifloxacin may cause a skin rash and other serious allergic reactions. If you notice a skin rash, skin blisters, skin itching, or hives, stop taking the medication and contact your doctor immediately.

Bacterial resistance: Misuse of an antibiotic such as gatifloxacin may lead to the growth of resistant bacteria that will not be killed by the antibiotic. If this happens, the antibiotic may not work for you in the future. Although your symptoms may improve when you first start taking gatifloxacin, you need to take all the medication exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take gatifloxacin or other antibiotics to treat a viral infection; antibiotics do not kill viruses, and using them to treat viral infections can lead to the growth of resistant bacteria.

Blurred vision: Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) can cause blurred or reduced vision. If you experience these symptoms, do not drive or operate machinery until these symptoms resolve.

Contact lenses: Avoid wearing contact lenses while you have signs and symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis. Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) also contains a preservative which may discolour soft contact lenses.

Pregnancy: Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent), contact your doctor immediately.

Breast-feeding: It is not known if gatifloxacin passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent), it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.

Children: The safety and effectiveness of using Zymar (Gatifloxacin-eent) have not been established for children less than one year of age. Gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution has been used to treat conjunctivitis in children between the ages of 1 and 12.

This medication is for the eye. To use: Wash your hands as well as the skin surrounding the affected eye. Gently pull down the lower lid of the affected eye. Apply 1 drop of the medication. Unless your condition prevents you from doing so, close the eye for at least 1 minute, while gently pressing on the inner corner of the eye, near the nose. To avoid contaminating the medication, do not let the tip of the applicator touch your fingers or any part of your eye. Close the container tightly after each use. Continue applying the product to complete the prescribed course of treatment, even after improvement is seen or felt. This medication is typically used 4 times a day. However, your pharmacist may have suggested a different schedule that is more appropriate for you. Generally, a treatment with this medication lasts several days. Use it for the entire time prescribed in order to achieve the medication's full benefit. If you forget a dose, apply it as soon as you remember -- unless it is almost time for your next dose. In that case, skip the missed one. Do not apply more to try to catch up.