Tobramycin Dexamethasone — Compare Prices at US & Canada Pharmacies

Tobramycin-dexamethasone (brand TobraDex) pairs an aminoglycoside antibiotic with a potent corticosteroid, used when the eye needs both antibacterial coverage and meaningful anti-inflammatory control — most commonly after eye surgery, or for significant inflammatory conditions of the conjunctiva, cornea, or anterior eye where infection is present or a real risk. The dexamethasone component is stronger than the hydrocortisone used in some other combination eye drops, which makes this product effective for more significant inflammation but also raises the stakes if it's used inappropriately.

The FDA label's contraindications are explicit and worth taking seriously: this combination is contraindicated in most viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva, including herpes simplex keratitis, vaccinia, and varicella, as well as fungal and mycobacterial eye infections — because the corticosteroid can suppress the local immune response enough to let these infections progress substantially before it's obvious something is wrong. This is the core reason ophthalmologists are cautious prescribing any steroid-antibiotic combination for a red eye without a confirmed bacterial cause: the wrong diagnosis paired with a steroid can make a viral or fungal infection significantly worse rather than better.

Beyond that specific risk, the standard steroid eye-drop concerns apply with prolonged use: elevated intraocular pressure (glaucoma risk), delayed wound healing, and increased cataract risk. It's meant to be used for a defined, monitored course under an eye care professional's supervision rather than open-ended self-treatment of undiagnosed eye redness or discomfort.

Contraindications

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS TOBRADEX ST, as with other ophthalmic corticosteroids, is contraindicated in most viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva, including epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, and varicella, and also in mycobacterial infection of the eye and fungal diseases of ocular structures.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

8.1 Pregnancy Corticosteroids have been shown to be teratogenic in animal studies. Ocular administration of 0.1% dexamethasone resulted in 15.6% and 32.3% incidence of fetal anomalies in 2 groups of pregnant rabbits. Fetal growth retardation and increased mortality rates have been observed in rats with chronic dexamethasone therapy.