Chloramphenicol 1.0% w/w Antibiotic Eye Ointment

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• Ask your pharmacist if you need more information or advice.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
• You must talk to a doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 48 hours.

1. What Chloramphenicol Antibiotic Eye Ointment is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Chloramphenicol Antibiotic Eye Ointment
3. How to use Chloramphenicol Antibiotic Eye Ointment
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Chloramphenicol Antibiotic Eye Ointment
6. Contents of the pack and other information

• You are allergic to Chloramphenicol or any of the other ingredients of this medicine listed in section 6 “Contents of the pack and other information”.
• Have ever had problems with your blood (in particular with low numbers of blood cells) during previous treatments with chloramphenicol.
• Have a family history of blood problems such as low white blood cell, red blood cell or platelet count.
• You or a member of your family has had problems with their blood or bone marrow. These problems can include a severe reduction in red blood cells or lower than normal blood count.

Tell your doctor if:

• Your eye is painful (rather than just feeling sore or gritty) or you have pain or swelling around the eye or face.
• Your sight is affected by loss of vision, reduced or blurred vision or you see halos around lights.
• It is too painful to open your eyes properly.
• Your pupil (the black circle in the centre of your eye) looks different. It may be torn, not round, very big or does not change size in the light.
• Your eye looks cloudy.
• Your eyes are sensitive to light.
• you have (or think you have) a foreign body in your eye, which has not been removed.
• You have had an eye infection in the past month.
• You have glaucoma (high pressure inside your eye).
• You have “dry eye syndrome”.
• You have injured your eye.
• You think there may be something in your eye or you have splashed something in your eye.
• You are already using other eye drops or eye ointment.
• You have had eye surgery or laser treatment in the last 6 months.

• You should not wear your contact lenses during the course of treatment. Wear your glasses instead.
• If you wear soft contact lenses do not start wearing them for at least 24 hours after you have finished the eye ointment.
• Suffer from any other eye problems.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, especially:

• Other eye ointments or eye drops
• Medicines which may affect your bone marrow
• If you are taking bone marrow medicines (medicines which decrease the activity of the bone marrow, causing low blood cell counts) such as azathioprine or receiving chemotherapy, seek the advice of your pharmacist or your doctor before using this product.

Chloramphenicol should not be used during pregnancy and breast-feeding unless considered essential by your doctor, as the effects are unknown.

If you are a pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using this medicine.

The ointment may cause blurred vision due to smearing or stinging.

• This will only happen for a short period after it is put in your eye.
• If this happens do not drive or use machinery until you can see clearly.

A course of treatment lasts 5 days:

• If the eye ointment is being used alone, squeeze a thin line of ointment inside the lower eyelid of each affected eye 3 to 4 times a day.
  This means that you should use it about every 4 – 6 hours.
• If you are using Chloramphenicol eye drops during the day and the eye ointment at night – apply the ointment at night, before going to bed.

• Wash your hands before and after using the ointment
• Sit or stand in front of a mirror
• Take off the tube cap
• Tilt the head gently backwards
• Gently pull lower eyelid down
• Gently squeezing the tube, put about 1cm of ointment into the space between the lower eyelid and the eye
• Close for a moment.
• Let go of the eyelid and blink a few times. This will help spread the ointment over the eye
• Try not to touch the eye, eyelashes, or anything else with the tip of the tube
• Repeat for the other eye, if affected
• Replace the cap securely after use

Whilst applying the ointment, do not

• Breathe on or touch the nozzle of the tube.
• Touch the eyes or eyelids with the nozzle of the tube.

It is important to complete the course of treatment even if your eyes feel better-this could make your condition worse.

• Your eyes get worse at any time
• There is no improvement within 2 days

Do not repeat the course of treatment without consulting your doctor or pharmacist.

If you have only just missed a dose and it is a long time before the next dose is due, put in the missed dose of ointment straight away. If it is nearly time for your next dose, just put in the next dose of ointment at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten. dose.

Do not share your eye ointment with anyone else.

If the contents of this tube are swallowed, contact your doctor straight away or go to your nearest hospital casualty department. Take with you the tube and container so that the medicine can be identified.

• burning
• itching
• mild stinging
• mild inflammation of the skin (dermatitis).
• irritation

Rare side effects include:

• bone marrow depression (a condition where the marrow is unable to produce blood cells)
• a reduced production and death of red blood cells (anaemia)

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard, or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

The name of this medicine is Chloramphenicol 1.0% w/w Antibiotic Eye Ointment.

This medicine contains the active ingredient Chloramphenicol 1.0 w/w.Other ingredients are Liquid Paraffin and White Soft Paraffin.

Each tube contains 4 grams of yellowish-white eye ointment.