A comprehensive guide to prescription eye medicines available for use in adult eye care, including glaucoma drops, antibiotics, corticosteroids, antivirals, allergy treatments and ciclosporin treatments for dry eye disease.
These medicines may be prescribed, when clinically appropriate, by suitably qualified eye care practitioners working within their professional competence. At Edgbaston Eye Clinic, Mr Don Williams is a Registered Specialist in Therapeutics and on the specialist register.
Brand names are included as familiar examples. Product availability may vary between manufacturers and pharmacies.
Glaucoma and ocular hypertension
Prostaglandin analogues and prostamides
These medicines lower intraocular pressure by increasing the drainage of aqueous fluid:
- Latanoprost – Xalatan, Monopost and generic preparations
- Travoprost – Travatan and generic preparations
- Tafluprost – Saflutan
- Bimatoprost – Lumigan and generic preparations
Preserved and preservative-free preparations are available within this group.
Beta-blockers
These medicines reduce the production of aqueous fluid:
- Timolol – Timoptol, Tiopex, Eysano and generic preparations
- Betaxolol – Betoptic
- Carteolol – Teoptic
- Levobunolol – Betagan and generic preparations
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
Topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors include:
- Dorzolamide – Trusopt, Eydelto and generic preparations
- Brinzolamide – Azopt and generic preparations
A systemic option is:
- Acetazolamide – oral acetazolamide or Diamox
Oral acetazolamide may be used when a more rapid or substantial reduction in intraocular pressure is required.
Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists
- Brimonidine – Alphagan and generic preparations
- Apraclonidine – Iopidine
Miotics
- Pilocarpine
Pilocarpine may be used in selected forms of glaucoma and in the management of acute angle-closure disease as part of an appropriate emergency pathway.
Rho-kinase inhibitor combination
- Latanoprost with Netarsudil – Roclanda
Fixed-combination glaucoma preparations
Combination drops can reduce the number of bottles required and simplify treatment:
- Latanoprost with timolol – Xalacom, Fixapost, Vizilatan Duo and generic preparations
- Travoprost with timolol – DuoTrav
- Tafluprost with timolol – Taptiqom
- Bimatoprost with timolol – Ganfort
- Dorzolamide with timolol – Cosopt, Cosopt Preservative-Free and generic preparations
- Brinzolamide with timolol – Azarga
- Brimonidine with timolol – Combigan
- Brinzolamide with brimonidine – Simbrinza
- Latanoprost with netarsudil – Roclanda
Many glaucoma medicines are available in both preserved and preservative-free forms. The correct choice depends on the type of glaucoma, target pressure, medical history, contraindications, previous response and ocular-surface health.
Corticosteroid eye medicines
Prescription corticosteroids are used to control non-infectious ocular inflammation, including selected cases of anterior uveitis, keratitis, episcleritis, allergic inflammation and postoperative inflammation.
Available medicines include:
- Dexamethasone – Maxidex, Dexafree, Dropodex, Eythalm and generic preparations
- Prednisolone acetate – Pred Forte or an equivalent preparation, subject to current supply
- Prednisolone sodium phosphate – including preservative-free Minims preparations
- Fluorometholone – FML Liquifilm
- Loteprednol etabonate – Lotemax
- Hydrocortisone sodium phosphate – Softacort
- Betamethasone sodium phosphate – Betnesol
- Oral prednisolone – for selected severe ocular or periocular inflammatory conditions
Steroid eye medicines require appropriate monitoring because they can raise intraocular pressure, delay corneal healing, worsen an undiagnosed infection and contribute to cataract formation.
Combined corticosteroid and antimicrobial preparations
These preparations combine an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid with one or more antibacterial medicines:
- Maxitrol – dexamethasone, neomycin and polymyxin B
- Tobradex – dexamethasone and tobramycin
- Sofradex – dexamethasone, framycetin and gramicidin
- Betnesol-N – betamethasone and neomycin
- Neo-Cortef – hydrocortisone acetate and neomycin, where available
These products are used when corticosteroid-responsive inflammation is present and antibacterial cover is also clinically required. They are not treatments for viral, fungal or Acanthamoeba eye disease.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye medicines
Ophthalmic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs include:
- Ketorolac trometamol – Acular and generic preparations
- Diclofenac sodium – Dicloabak and other licensed preparations
- Nepafenac – Nevanac
- Bromfenac – Yellox
- Flurbiprofen sodium – Ocufen
These medicines may be used for selected inflammatory, painful or postoperative ocular conditions.
Topical antibacterial eye medicines
Antibiotic eye drops and ointments include:
- Chloramphenicol – eye drops, preservative-free single-dose preparations and eye ointment
- Fusidic acid – Fucithalmic and generic preparations
- Azithromycin – Azyter
- Ciprofloxacin – Ciloxan and generic preparations
- Ofloxacin – Exocin and generic preparations
- Levofloxacin – Oftaquix and generic preparations
- Moxifloxacin – Vigamox and generic preparations
- Gentamicin
- Tobramycin, where a licensed preparation is available
- Neomycin, principally in licensed combination preparations
- Polymyxin B, principally in licensed combination preparations
- Framycetin, principally in licensed combination preparations
- Gramicidin, principally in licensed combination preparations
These medicines may be used for bacterial conjunctivitis, blepharoconjunctivitis, selected corneal infections and other bacterial infections affecting the eye.
The choice of antibiotic depends on the site and severity of infection, contact-lens history, allergies, microbiology results, local resistance patterns and whether urgent hospital treatment is required.
Oral antibiotics in eye care
Oral antibiotics may be required for eyelid infection, preseptal cellulitis, significant periocular infection, ocular rosacea, meibomian gland dysfunction and other appropriate conditions.
Relevant medicines include:
- Amoxicillin
- Co-amoxiclav
- Flucloxacillin
- Cefalexin
- Cefuroxime axetil
- Doxycycline
- Minocycline
- Lymecycline
- Azithromycin
- Erythromycin
- Clarithromycin
- Clindamycin
- Metronidazole
Suspected orbital cellulitis is an ophthalmic emergency and requires immediate hospital assessment.
Antiviral eye medicines
Topical antiviral medicines
- Aciclovir eye ointment – Zovirax or generic aciclovir
- Ganciclovir eye gel – Virgan
Oral antiviral medicines
- Aciclovir
- Valaciclovir
- Famciclovir
These medicines are used in the management of herpes simplex eye disease and herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Treatment depends on which ocular tissues are involved and whether associated inflammation is present.
Prescription treatments for allergic eye disease
Medicines used for allergic conjunctivitis and other allergic ocular-surface conditions include:
- Olopatadine – Opatanol and generic preparations
- Ketotifen – Zaditen, Ketofall and generic preparations
- Azelastine – Optilast and generic preparations
- Epinastine – Relestat
- Emedastine – Emadine
- Lodoxamide – Alomide
- Sodium cromoglicate – available under several brands and as generic preparations
Some allergy medicines are also available for purchase without a prescription. They remain medicines that can be prescribed when clinically appropriate.
Dry-eye and ocular-surface prescription medicines
Ciclosporin eye preparations
Ciclosporin is used to control inflammation associated with significant dry-eye and ocular-surface disease.
Licensed adult preparations include:
- Ikervis – ciclosporin 1 mg/mL, equivalent to 0.1%
- Cequa – ciclosporin 0.9 mg/mL, equivalent to 0.09%
- Vevizye – ciclosporin 1 mg/mL, equivalent to 0.1%, preservative-free solution
The indications and dosing schedules are not identical, so the preparation is selected according to the diagnosis, severity of disease and individual clinical circumstances.
Mucolytic and prescription tear treatment
- Acetylcysteine with hypromellose – Ilube
Ilube is a prescription-only medicine with mucolytic and lubricating properties. It can be particularly useful when the tear film is abnormally sticky or when filamentary keratitis is present.
Routine artificial tears, sodium hyaluronate preparations, carbomer gels, lipid sprays and night-time ointments have not been listed individually because many are medical devices or non-prescription products rather than prescription-only medicines.
Therapeutic cycloplegic and pupil medicines
The following medicines may have a therapeutic role in anterior uveitis and other inflammatory eye conditions:
- Atropine sulphate
- Cyclopentolate hydrochloride
- Homatropine hydrobromide
These medicines can relieve ciliary spasm, reduce pain and help prevent or manage posterior synechiae.
Pilocarpine is listed separately under glaucoma treatment.
Tropicamide and routine phenylephrine preparations have not been included because they are predominantly used for diagnostic pupil dilation rather than continuing patient treatment.
Eyelid, meibomian gland and ocular-rosacea treatment
Prescription medicines used for appropriate eyelid and periocular conditions may include:
- Doxycycline
- Minocycline
- Lymecycline
- Azithromycin
- Erythromycin
- Metronidazole cream or gel
- Ivermectin cream – Soolantra
- Azelaic acid – Finacea or Skinoren
- Fusidic acid cream or ointment
- Tacrolimus ointment – Protopic
- Pimecrolimus cream – Elidel
- Appropriate topical corticosteroid preparations
Creams and ointments intended for the skin are used only on the eyelids or surrounding skin. They must not be instilled directly into the eye.
Systemic anti-inflammatory treatment
For selected ocular and periocular inflammatory conditions, systemic treatment may include:
- Oral prednisolone
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
- Diclofenac
Systemic treatment depends on the diagnosis, the severity of inflammation, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular risk, kidney function and other medication being taken.
Important information
This list describes medicines used across adult medical eye care. It does not mean that every medicine is appropriate for every patient or condition.
Prescription treatment follows a clinical examination and takes account of the diagnosis, medical history, allergies, other medication, contraindications and the need for investigation, monitoring, referral or shared care.
Medicine licences, brand names, supply arrangements and product availability can change. Current BNF information and the individual Summary of Product Characteristics should always be checked before prescribing.
Information reviewed against current UK BNF, NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices and electronic Medicines Compendium records in September 2026.
Mr Don Williams ACP Ophthal & Registered Specialist
Edgbaston Eye Clinic
38 Harborne Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3HE
Tel: 01217263199
E-mail: info@edgbastoneyeclinic.com