Gatifloxacin (Ophthalmic)

Brand Names : Zymar

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For gatifloxacin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to gatifloxacin or any other related medicines, such as cinoxacin (e.g., Cinobac), ciprofloxacin (e.g., Cipro or Ciloxan), norfloxacin (e.g., Noroxin), ofloxacin (e.g., Floxin). Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Ophthalmic gatifloxacin has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals that were given very high doses of gatifloxacin by mouth have shown that gatifloxacin can cause problems in the fetus. Before using this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether ophthalmic gatifloxacin passes into human breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are using this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Use is not recommended in infants and children under 1 year of age. In children older than 1 year of age, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems than it does 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. Although there is no specific information comparing use of gatifloxacin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

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 using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine that is to be used in the eye.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of gatifloxacin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergy to gatifloxacin or
• Allergy to any part of the medicine - serious allergic reactions can occur