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Medications›Antibiotic›Erythromycin Ointment

Erythromycin Ointment

GoodRx

erythromycin 0.5% · ophthalmic ointment

Antibiotic

Approved uses

Superficial ocular infection of the conjunctiva or cornea

About 1 cm ribbon to the infected eye(s) up to 6 times daily depending on severity

Its class raises treatment-related ocular complications about fourfold, unlike fluoroquinolones.

Ophthalmia neonatorum prophylaxis (Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis)

1 cm ribbon into each lower conjunctival sac, not flushed afterward, new tube per infant

Cuts conjunctivitis of any cause by about a third at 1 month, but chlamydial protection is unproven.

OFF-LABELNot in the FDA label for this product

Anterior blepharitis

Ribbon to the eyelid margins one or more times daily or QHS for a few weeks

Cochrane · no cure shown

Cochrane review of 34 studies (2169 participants) found topical antibiotics gave some symptomatic relief and were effective in eradicating bacteria from the eyelid margin in anterior blepharitis, but the authors concluded there is no strong evidence that any treatment cures chronic blepharitis. Off-label because this label covers the conjunctiva and cornea only, not the lid margin.

Lindsley K, Matsumura S, Hatef E, Akpek EK. Interventions for chronic blepharitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;2012(5):CD005556. Dose from Amescua G, Akpek EK, Farid M, et al. Blepharitis Preferred Practice Pattern. Ophthalmology. 2019;126(1):P56-P93

Contraindications

Other Antibiotic drugs

Amoxil®
Augmentin®
AzaSite®
Bacitracin Ointment
Bactrim®
Besivance®
Ceclor®
Ciloxan® Ointment

Browse all medications All Antibiotic drugs

History of hypersensitivity to erythromycin.

Available Forms

0.5% (5 mg/g) ointment, 3.5 g tube, 1 g tube in cartons of 50

Mechanism of Action

Macrolide that binds reversibly to the bacterial 50S ribosomal subunit and inhibits protein synthesis without affecting nucleic acid synthesis; generally bacteriostatic. Covers streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus including penicillinase-producing strains, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, while methicillin-resistant staphylococci are uniformly resistant.

Warnings & Precautions

Superinfection: Antimicrobial use may allow overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms including fungi, which requires stopping the antibiotic.
Penicillinase-producing gonococci: Effectiveness in preventing ophthalmia caused by penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae is not established.
Maternal gonorrhea: For infants born to mothers with clinically apparent gonorrhea, topical prophylaxis alone is inadequate and IV or IM aqueous crystalline penicillin G is indicated, a single 50,000 unit dose for term infants or 20,000 units for low birth weight infants.

Common Side Effects

Ocular, most frequent: Minor irritation and redness.
Hypersensitivity: Reactions are also among the most frequently reported, with no rate given in the label.

Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy: Reproduction studies in rats, mice, and rabbits at several multiples of the usual human dose showed no evidence of fetal harm; there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women, so use only if clearly needed.

Lactation: Caution advised in nursing women; the label gives no milk transfer or infant safety data.

Pediatric Use

Indicated in newborns for ophthalmia neonatorum prophylaxis; the pediatric section adds no separate limits.

Erythromycin Ointment (erythromycin 0.5%) | EyeKnow O.D.