For the treatment of eye diseases or the prevention of bacterial infections of the conjunctiva, special remedies are produced in the form of eye drops. One of these drugs is Vitabact. Is it possible to drip it to children when it is justified and in what dosage is such a drug used in childhood?
Release form
The medication is available in dropper bottles, which are made of plastic. One such bottle contains 10 ml of a clear liquid, which is often light yellow, but can also be colorless. The bottle is packed in a cardboard box, inside which there is an annotation for the drops.
Composition
The action of the drops is ensured by the presence of picloxidine in them at a concentration of 0.05%. In 1 ml of solution, this substance in the form of dihydrochloride is contained in a dose of 500 mcg. It is supplemented with anhydrous dextrose, purified water and polysorbate 80.
Operating principle
Drops Vitabact have an antiseptic and antimicrobial effect. The active substance of the drug, which is a biguanide group, affects:
- Staphylococcus aureus;
- E. coli;
- Enterococcus fecal;
- Klebsiella pneumonia;
- Proteus vulgaris;
- Shigella dysentery;
- Chlamydia trachomatis;
- Hay stick and some other bacteria.
The drug is also active against certain types of fungi and viruses. In this case, the action of the solution is predominantly local and picloxidine does not enter the general bloodstream.
And now we suggest watching a video on how to properly bury drops in a child's eyes.
Indications
The reason for prescribing Vitabact to a child may be:
- Treatment of a bacterial infection that caused inflammation of the anterior part of the eyes (conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis).
- Treatment of dacryocystitis, which is common in newborns and infants.
- Prevention of bacterial complications after eye surgery.
- Prevention of infection from a patient with viral conjunctivitis in case of close contact.
From what age is it allowed to take?
It is possible to bury Vitabakt in the eyes in childhood from birth.
Contraindications
The use of Vitabact drops is prohibited only in case of intolerance to picloxidine or other ingredients of the solution. There are no other restrictions on the use of this medicine in the annotation to it.
Side effects
In rare cases, the drug can cause conjunctival hyperemia, increased lacrimation, a burning sensation or a foreign body in the eyes. This is how an allergic reaction to Vitabact manifests itself, therefore, in case of redness or discomfort, further use of the drug is not recommended. In addition, the use of drops can reduce the clarity of vision during treatment.
Instructions for use and dosage
- Packaging of Vitabact drops (a plastic bottle with a dropper) eliminates the need for additional purchase of a pipette. To open the bottle, twist its cap all the way, and then the spike located inside will pierce the dropper.
- An adult should wash his hands before using drops. If the child has pathological discharge and crusts on the eyelashes and the surface of the conjunctiva, you must first clean it. To do this, take two cotton swabs, dip them into unheated boiled water and separately rub the baby's eyes, moving from the outer corner towards the inner one.
- To drop the medicine, you need to tilt the child's head back slightly so that he looks up. The solution is injected into the lower part of the eye, gently pulling down the lower eyelid. To prevent contamination of the drug, the dropper should not contact either the eye or the skin of the little patient. Also, do not touch the pipette with your hands.
- If a medication is used to treat a bacterial infection, it is prescribed for a course of 10 days, and the frequency of instillation is 2 to 6 times a day. A more accurate frequency of use should be determined by a pediatrician, and a single dosage of the drug is 1 drop in each conjunctival sac.
- If the child has had an operation in the eye area, Vitabact is used for prophylactic purposes. The medicine is administered 1 drop 3-4 times a day. The tool is also often used before the operation - just before the intervention, 1-2 drops of the solution are injected into the conjunctival sac. If the child has had close contact with a patient with conjunctivitis, he can drip his eyes once immediately after such communication.
We bring to your attention the release of Dr. Komarovsky's program dedicated to childhood conjunctivitis.
Overdose
The manufacturer does not provide information on the toxic effects of drops in excess.
Interaction with other drugs
If the child was prescribed to drip several medicines at once into the eyes, then there should be a break of at least 15 minutes between the instillation of Vitabact and other medicines.
Terms of sale
Buying Vitabact drops in pharmacies is available without a prescription. The average price of one bottle of the drug is 330-340 rubles.
Storage conditions and shelf life
- Keep the drops at home in a place hidden from small children, where the temperature will be within + 15 + 25 degrees Celsius.
- An unopened bottle can be stored for the entire shelf life of 2 years.
- If flakes or any impurities become visible in the medicine during storage, it should not be instilled, even if the expiration date has not yet expired.
- After the first use, the drug can be dripped into the eyes for only 1 month. If the first use of the medicine was more than 30 days ago, the medicine should be discarded.
Reviews
Parents respond positively to the treatment of children with Vitabactom in most cases. The drug is praised for its effective action, the ability to use it even in infants, and its convenient packaging. According to mothers, almost all babies tolerate such a medication well, and the solution does not sting their eyes, so babies up to a year do not respond to burial with crying and screaming.
The disadvantages of drops include their high price and limited shelf life after opening. There are also reviews in which mothers note that Vitabakt turned out to be ineffective and did not help the child with dacryocystitis or barley.
Analogs
If it is impossible to use Vitabact for any reason, the pediatrician can replace it with similar medicines, for example:
- Sodium sulfacyl medicine... This sulfa drug in drops is very popular for the prevention and treatment of eye infections. It can be used on a child of any age.
- Okomistin drops... This antiseptic agent containing miramistin is approved for use in bacterial conjunctivitis in children over 3 years old. The doctor may also prescribe it to drip into the ear or nose, if indicated.
- Eye drops Oftadek... The basis of such a medicine is the decamethoxin antiseptic. These drops are allowed for children of any age and are often prescribed for conjunctivitis, even for newborns.
- Drops of Sofradex... They include antibiotics and dexamethasone. Such a drug is instilled not only into the eyes, but also into the ears with otitis media. It is used in children over a year old.
- Tobrex eye drops... This medicine is based on the antibiotic tobramycin. The medication is prescribed from birth.
