In the modern world it is very difficult to avoid eye problems. Constantly using phones and computers, people face such unpleasant consequences as discomfort and eye fatigue. Often at the end of a hard day you can feel a pain in the eyes, notice redness and swelling. Pharmacies offer many drugs that effectively and quickly relieve such symptoms, but one of the cheapest, but no less effective, is Furacilin. Read this article on how to wash your eyes with furatsilin.
Properties of Furacilin
Many adults remember how, in childhood, their mothers and grandmothers used a yellow solution for red eyes and severe tearing. Probably everyone knows its name.
Furacilin is an excellent antiseptic that quickly and effectively destroys microbes, so it is often recommended for the prevention of all kinds of inflammatory processes. Today you can buy Furacilin solution or tablets. Tablets of the drug are more practical, because they can be stored for a long time and allow you to prepare a fresh solution in any conditions.
A huge advantage of Furacilin is its safety. The solution can be used by adults and children, and is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of newborns and infants. However, you need to remember that Furacilin solution will be safe and effective only if you prepare it strictly according to all the rules.
Indications according to instructions
To understand whether Furacilin solution can be used to wash the eyes, you need to read the instructions. The insert states the following:
- bedsores;
- purulent wounds;
- burns;
- conjunctivitis;
- blepharitis;
- osteomyelitis;
- boils of the ear canal;
- sinusitis;
- otitis;
- gingitis;
- stomatitis;
- abrasions, cuts, scratches.
Furacilin solution is used externally, intracavity. Rinse the nose and mouth. Indications also include eye diseases, especially conjunctivitis. Prescribed by specialists in ophthalmology. Prescribed for the treatment of adults, children of all ages, including infants.
How to prepare Furacilin solution
You should always remember that Furacilin is used exclusively externally. It is suitable for rinsing, disinfecting and creating compresses, as well as for washing the eyeballs during inflammation. To dilute the solution, you need to take clean dishes and wash your hands thoroughly.
Methods for diluting Furacilin:
- Dissolve a tablet of the drug in 100 ml of hot water. It is allowed to use cold water, but the tablet will dissolve in it much longer.
- Crush the Furacilin tablet into powder, add warm water and mix. The finished solution should be filtered through thick gauze to remove solid particles and crumbs.
You should always remember that the solution cannot be stored for a long time. For the next wash, you need to prepare a fresh one.
Terms of sale
Over the counter.
Sample recipe in Latin: Rp.: Sol. Furacilini 1:5000 – 250 mlD.S. Rinsing.
Furacilin tablets are sold freely from pharmacies; a doctor’s prescription is not required. It is recommended to store blisters with tablets in a dark place, at room temperature, avoiding moisture on the packaging. Keep the drug away from children.
The shelf life of the tablets is 4 years from the date of manufacture; after this period the drug cannot be used.
Furacilin for children
Furacilin is often recommended for the treatment of newborn eyes. This product gently and effectively eliminates germs without harming sensitive tissues. The eye wash solution for newborns must be sterile.
To prepare such a mixture, you need to take not boiled water, but distilled water or saline solution. Furacilin is added to a sterile liquid and left until completely dissolved. The solution should be filtered through a sterile bandage. After this, you need to slightly warm the product to room temperature.
To properly rinse your baby’s eyes, you need to take the prepared solution and soak a cotton swab in it. You need to wipe your eyes from the outer corner to the inner. The second eye is washed with a new swab.
You should always remember that there are many causes of eye inflammation in newborns. Therefore, before using Furacilin, you should consult your pediatrician. In the absence of inflammation of the mucous membrane, there is no need for rinsing. You can cleanse a newborn's eyes of natural secretions with chamomile infusion.
Aftercare
After treating inflamed eyes with furatsilin solution, they are blotted with a special medical napkin and... that’s it! No further special manipulation is required. The only thing is that you should not allow your eyes to become chapped.
For several hours after the treatment procedure, you should not go outside, especially when it is cool or windy. This requirement is explained by the increased sensitivity of the visual organs to all kinds of external stimuli.
How to relieve eye swelling from conjunctivitis?
If rinsing with a furalicyl solution is part of the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases, upon completion of the procedure, medications prescribed by the attending physician (ointment or drops) must be applied to the conjunctival area or eyelids.
Do not put a blindfold on your eyes after treatment - this contributes to the activation of pathogenic microorganisms.
For conjunctivitis and other mucosal lesions in children, both eyes should be wiped, even if the infection is localized in only one, since the inflammatory process can spread to healthy tissue. You should rinse your eyes 2–4 times a day; more frequent use of the drug is carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor.
The course of treatment is usually 5-7 days. If during this time the therapy does not bring the desired result, you should visit the doctor again - perhaps the inflammation is associated with an allergy, and not an infectious lesion. A specialist can replace Furacilin with another, more effective remedy.
It should be understood that the antiseptic only has an antimicrobial effect and does not eliminate the cause of inflammation. The effectiveness of the drug increases when used as part of complex treatment.
It is necessary to use the solution correctly so as not to harm the child. The algorithm for the procedure depends on the age of the baby.
The procedure for washing with Furacilin should be agreed with your doctor. At the appointment, the frequency of the procedure and the duration of treatment are determined. This will avoid complications and adverse reactions.
In addition, there are a number of rules and recommendations that must be followed:
- when rinsing, movements are performed from the outside of the eye to the inside;
- manipulation must be performed with careful movements (avoid pressure and rubbing);
- a separate swab or cotton pad is used for each eye;
- Up to 4 procedures are allowed per day;
- the usual course should not exceed seven days;
- the lack of the desired effect necessitates repeated medical consultation.
After the first procedure, you need to pay attention to the body’s reaction. Sometimes the ingredients of Furacilin become allergens for a small patient. In this case, the child will be capricious, and negative symptoms may appear in the eyes in the form of redness and itching. Aftercare after the procedure involves removing excess medication. To do this, you need to blot your eyelids with sterile wipes or cotton pads.
How to wash eyes with Furacilin for adults
Adults can use Furacilin antimicrobial solution in different ways. For these purposes, cotton swabs, pipettes, syringes without needles and rubber bulbs are used. The washing method should be chosen according to the situation.
More recently, eye wash baths have become widespread. The devices are made of polymer materials; their design makes it easier to cleanse the eyes and treat diseases of the visual organs. A little warm Furacilin solution is poured into the bath, then it is applied to each eye and held until it cools completely. During the process, the patient must tilt his head back.
How to wash your eyes with Furacilin:
- Cotton pad. Moisten the disc with the solution and squeeze lightly. Move the lower eyelid and gently wipe the mucous membrane, moving from the outer corner to the inner.
- Eye cups. This device is suitable for removing foreign objects from the eye. The cup allows the solution to be poured slowly to alleviate any discomfort. You should not close your eyes during the procedure.
- Rubber bulb. To ensure sterility, the pear can be pre-boiled. For the procedure, the solution is taken into a bulb and carefully poured into the conjunctival sac of one and the other eye. Sterile pipettes can be used similarly.
- Baths. There are other baths: a warm solution is poured into a container and the eyes are lowered one by one for a while. The eye should be kept open.
Even if the patient is an adult, the solution must also be diluted immediately before the procedure. It is recommended to use the drug only when warm. Today, doctors do not prescribe Furacilin for the prevention of eye pathologies. Increasingly, the drug is used directly to treat existing inflammation.
How to replace Furacilin
If there is no Furacilin in your home medicine cabinet, the drug can be replaced with Chlorhexidine. It is also a strong antiseptic and is often prescribed for conjunctivitis. However, this drug cannot be diluted independently; it is sold ready-made (an aqueous solution with a concentration of 0.02% or 0.05%). Rinsing should be done with the eyelids closed. Do not allow the product to come into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes.
To prepare a solution based on penicillin, you need to pour cooled boiled water into the bottle and shake. This drug is recommended for the treatment of conjunctivitis. Miramistin helps not only with inflammation of the organs of vision, but also after surgical operations.
Boric acid is used less frequently for eye washing. To prepare the solution, you need to dissolve the product in boiled or distilled water. Rinsing is carried out by placing tampons soaked in the solution on closed eyelids.
Analogues of Furacilin:
- Akutol. An antimicrobial drug that affects protein compounds in microbes, leading to their death. Effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Indications for use include blepharitis and conjunctivitis, as well as skin lesions and diseases of the oral cavity.
- Furaplast. A similar antimicrobial drug, the active ingredient of which is nitrofuran. Affects a wide range of bacteria. An allergic reaction is possible after using Furaplast.
If these products are not available, you can wash your eyes with herbal decoctions and infusions. For these purposes, chamomile, dill, tea rose, bay leaves, etc. are most often used. You can prepare a solution from a teaspoon of ground chamomile and 250 ml of boiling water, then leave until it cools and strain.
Tea leaves are often used to combat eye inflammation. For rinsing, you should take tea of medium strength. However, you need to ensure that the product does not contain flavorings or impurities. Tea decoction is often recommended for washing tired eyes.
Contraindications
Contraindications to the use of Furacilin include hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, allergic reactions of the body, as well as the presence of bleeding.
Expert opinion
Ermolaeva Tatyana Borisovna
Ophthalmologist of the highest category, Candidate of Medical Sciences
If a reaction occurs when using the medicine and intolerance to the components is observed, you should stop treatment and consult your doctor.
Prevention of eye inflammation
Despite the fact that medicine has thousands of drugs to treat a variety of diseases, we should never forget about precautions and prevention. Inflammation of the eye mucosa can be prevented only through hygiene. You should not touch your eyes with dirty hands in public places; at home you should wash your hands regularly. It is important to keep a separate hand towel assigned to each family member and change them daily.
If after several days of treatment the Furacilin solution does not have any effect, you should consult your doctor. More powerful treatment may be required if the disease has reached a severe stage.
Sources used:
- Current issues in diagnosis, clinical presentation and treatment of glaucoma / ed. A.M. Sazonov, etc. - M.: Scientific Research Clinical Institute named after. M. F. Vladimirsky, 1979.
- Hemodynamics and eye functions in the diagnosis of cerebral artery occlusions / Vitaly Sokolov. - M.: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012.
- D. Hubel. Eye, brain, vision. — ed. A. L. Byzova. - M.: Mir, 1990.
- Article about Furacilin
