Tetracycline

About Tetracycline

Tetracyclines belong to the family of medicines called antibiotics. Tetracycline ophthalmic preparations are used to treat infections of the eye. They may also be used along with other medicines that are taken by mouth for infections of the eye.

Precautions

Tell your prescriber or health care professional if your symptoms do not improve in 2 to 3 days.
Do not take tetracycline just before going to bed. It may not dissolve properly when you are lying down and can cause pain in your throat.
Keep out of the sun, or wear protective clothing outdoors and use a sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps or sun tanning beds or booths.
Make sure your diet provides vitamin B. Ask your prescriber or health care professional for advice if you think you are short of this vitamin.
Birth control pills (contraceptive pills) may not work properly while you are taking Tetracycline. Use an extra method of birth control for at least one month.
If you are being treated for a sexually transmitted disease, avoid sexual contact until you have finished your treatment. Your sexual partner may also need treatment.
If you are going to have surgery, tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking tetracycline.
Antacid can stop the effects of tetracycline. If you get an upset stomach and want to take an antacid, make sure there is an interval of at least 2 hours since you last took tetracycline, or 4 hours before your next dose.
Iron and zinc preparations can also stop tetracycline from working properly.
Never use tetracycline if it is past the expiration date; it can make you seriously ill.

Before Using Tetracycline

For tetracycline ophthalmic preparations, the following should be considered:

• Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to tetracycline or chlortetracycline or to any related antibiotics, such as demeclocycline (e.g., Declomycin), doxycycline (e.g., Vibramycin), methacycline (e.g., Rondomycin), minocycline (e.g., Minocin), or oxytetracycline (e.g., Terramycin). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as preservatives.
• Pregnancy - Tetracycline ophthalmic preparations have not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in humans.
• Breast-feeding - Tetracycline ophthalmic preparations have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.
• Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of ophthalmic tetracyclines in children with use in other age groups, they are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than they do 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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of tetracyclines in the elderly with use in other age groups.
• 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. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine that is to be used in the eye.

Proper Use of Tetracycline

For patients using the eye ointment form of tetracyclines:
To use:
First, wash your hands. Then pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to form a pouch. Squeeze a thin strip of ointment into the pouch. A 1-cm (approximately 0.5-inch) strip of ointment is usually enough unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Gently close the eyes and keep them closed for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to come into contact with the infection.
To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). After using tetracyclines eye ointment, wipe the tip of the ointment tube with a clean tissue and keep the tube tightly closed.
To help clear up your infection completely, keep using Tetracycline for the full time of treatment, even if your symptoms have disappeared. Do not miss any doses.

Dosing

The dose of ophthalmic tetracyclines 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 ophthalmic tetracyclines. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The number of doses you use each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you use the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using ophthalmic tetracyclines.

For eye infections:
For ophthalmic ointment dosage forms: Adults and children - Use every two to four hours.

Missed dose

Storage

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Keep the medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Side Effects of Tetracycline

There have not been any common or important side effects reported with Tetracycline. However, if you notice any unusual effects, check with your doctor.