Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical
A combination antibiotic and steroid eye ointment used to treat eye inflammation when bacterial infection is present or likely.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 5 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
This combination eye ointment is used when the eye needs both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial treatment at the same time. Supported uses include:
- Inflammatory conditions of the conjunctiva (the membrane lining the eyelid and covering the white of the eye) and cornea
- Inflammation in the anterior segment (front portion) of the eye
- Chronic anterior uveitis (ongoing inflammation inside the front of the eye)
- Corneal injury from chemical, radiation, or thermal burns
- Eye injury from a penetrating foreign body
- Situations where bacterial infection is present or the risk of dangerous bacterial growth in the eye is high
Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates, Bacitracin Zinc, and Hydrocortisone Ophthalmic Ointment is active against common bacterial eye pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella/Enterobacter species, Neisseria species, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It does not provide adequate coverage against Serratia marcescens.
⚙️How it works▾
This ointment combines two types of medicine. Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid that suppresses the eye's inflammatory response — reducing swelling, redness, and irritation. Because corticosteroids can lower the eye's natural defenses against infection, three antibiotics (neomycin, polymyxin B, and bacitracin) are included. These antibiotics target a broad range of bacteria commonly found in eye infections, helping prevent or treat bacterial growth while the steroid calms inflammation.
Combining all active ingredients in one ointment also helps ensure the right amount of each medicine reaches the eye, and makes it easier to use correctly.
💊How it's taken▾
This ointment is applied directly to the affected eye(s) — not swallowed or injected. For adults and children 2 years and older, it is generally applied up to 3 to 4 times daily. It should not be used in children under 2 years of age. Always follow your prescriber's specific instructions.
- Apply only to the eye — never inject or place inside the anterior chamber (front fluid-filled space) of the eye
- If you use it for 10 days or more, your doctor should monitor your eye pressure
- If symptoms do not improve within 2 days, contact your prescriber
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
Most side effects are mild and related to either the antibiotic or the steroid component of this ointment.
- Itching, redness, or swelling of the eyelid or conjunctiva (most often due to neomycin sensitivity)
- Local irritation or stinging when the ointment is applied
- Skin rash (a sign of antibiotic sensitization)
- Increased pressure inside the eye (from the steroid)
- Delayed wound healing
- Posterior subcapsular cataract formation with prolonged use
More serious reactions — including severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and secondary fungal or viral eye infections — have been reported, though rarely. Stop using and contact your doctor right away if you notice worsening symptoms, vision changes, or signs of a new infection.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Never inject this ointment into the eye — it is for application to the surface of the eye only and must never be introduced into the anterior chamber.
- Prolonged steroid use can raise pressure inside the eye, potentially causing glaucoma and optic nerve damage. Eye pressure should be monitored if used for 10 days or longer.
- Long-term use can also cause posterior subcapsular cataracts (a type of cataract that forms at the back of the lens) and thinning of the cornea or sclera, which can lead to perforation.
- Steroids can mask or worsen serious eye infections, including herpes simplex. Using this ointment with an active herpes simplex eye infection requires great caution and close monitoring.
- Neomycin can cause sensitization — an allergic reaction that may simply look like the eye is not healing. If symptoms worsen or don't improve in 2 days, see your doctor.
- Secondary fungal or viral infections can develop with long-term use. Report any persistent corneal ulceration to your doctor.
🔀What it interacts with▾
The FDA label for this ointment does not list specific drug, food, or supplement interactions.
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Do not use if you have a viral eye infection — including herpes simplex keratitis, chickenpox (varicella), or vaccinia — as steroids can make these infections significantly worse
- Do not use if you have a fungal or mycobacterial eye infection
- Tell your doctor if you are allergic to neomycin or any ingredient in this product — neomycin allergy is the most common
- Use with great caution if you have glaucoma or elevated eye pressure — the steroid component can raise eye pressure further
- Tell your doctor if you have recently had cataract surgery — steroid use after surgery can slow healing and increase certain complications
- Not for use in children under 2 years of age
- If you have a history of herpes simplex eye disease, only use this product under close medical supervision with frequent monitoring
📦How to store it▾
Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) . KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN apexa™ Manufactured by: Akorn Inc.
📄 Written from Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is this eye ointment actually for? ▾
How do I use it properly? ▾
What side effects should I watch out for? ▾
Can I use this if I have a herpes eye infection? ▾
Is it safe to use this long-term? ▾
Can children use this ointment? ▾
Is Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical available over the counter? ▾
When was Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical first available? ▾
Who makes Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical comes
Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Eye ointment
How this form is used
- Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates, Bacitracin Zinc, and Hydrocortisone Ophthalmic Ointment is used to treat steroid-responsive inflammatory eye conditions where bacterial infection is present or at risk
- Indicated for inflammatory conditions of the conjunctiva, cornea, and anterior segment of the eye
- Used for chronic anterior uveitis and corneal injury from burns or foreign bodies
- Not effective against Serratia marcescens or fungal and viral eye infections
- Apply to the affected eye(s) no more than 3 to 4 times daily, or as directed by your doctor
- For adults and children 2 years and older only — do not use in children under 2
- Never inject this ointment into the eye or introduce it into the anterior chamber
- If using for 10 days or longer, have your eye pressure checked regularly by your doctor
📊 Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical across the U.S. market
How Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Kit (3) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical is used
A general measure of how commonly Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical prescribed? Of the 1,594 medications we measure, Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical ranks #1,292 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 19% of them.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 2 of 8 listed Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Eye ointment | ||||
| 400; 10; 3.5; 10000 [USP'U]/g; mg/g; mg/g; [USP'U]/g | Ophthalmic | Akorn | ANDA | View NDC → |
| NEOMYCIN SULFATE 3.5 mg/g; POLYMYXIN B SULFATE 10000 [USP'U]/g; BACITRACIN ZINC 400 [USP'U]/g; HYDROCORTISONE 10 mg/g | Ophthalmic | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 400; 10; 3.5; 10000 [USP'U]/g; mg/g; mg/g; [USP'U]/g | Ophthalmic | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 400; 10; 3.5; 10000 [USP'U]/g; mg/g; mg/g; [USP'U]/g | Ophthalmic | Henry Schein Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 400; 10; 3.5; 10000 [USP'U]/g; mg/g; mg/g; [USP'U]/g | Ophthalmic | Mwi | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 400; 10; 3.5; 10000 [USP'U]/g; mg/g; mg/g; [USP'U]/g | Ophthalmic | Padagis US LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 💊Kits | ||||
| — | — | Dongguan Shenglian Tins Products Co., Ltd. | DRUG FOR FURTHER PROCESSING | View NDC → |
| — | — | Dongguan Shenglian Tins Products Co., Ltd. | OTC MONOGRAPH DRUG | View NDC → |
| — | Topical | Kroger | OTC MONOGRAPH DRUG | View NDC → |
Showing 10 of 10 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. For the full list, search the NDC directory →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one exact multiple-ingredient concept (MIN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). A product with a different ingredient combination belongs on a different page.
RxCUI 689623 1 dose form · 1 strength
-
Dose form (SCDF) Ophthalmic Ointment RxCUI 374806In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) bacitracin zinc 0.4 UNT/MG / hydrocortisone acetate 0.01 MG/MG / neomycin sulfate 0.0035 MG/MG / polymyxin B sulfate 10 UNT/MGRxCUI 1116150
Look up RxCUI 689623 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Neomycin, Polymyxin, Bacitracin, and Hydrocortisone Topical belongs to the Other antibiotics for topical use class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 5 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Akorn is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.