FDA-filed SPL labeling · retrieved through openFDA

Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic

Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic is a combination antibiotic eye drop used to treat bacterial eye infections, including acute bacterial conjunctivitis and blepharoconjunctivitis.

Brand name Polytrim
Drug classes ⓘ Dihydrofolate Reductase Inhibitor Antibacterial
Rx Form 1 Route Ophthalmic
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026
🧬 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 17 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 →

At a glance
Linked label effectiveJan 27, 2026
Clinical labels in scope ⓘ17
AvailabilityRx
Earliest approval/marketing year ⓘ1997
FDA-listed product records ⓘ47
Boxed warningNone found in compared labels
How we combine label and product data →
✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Sep 22, 2026
⭐ Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
💊
HelloPharmacist Editorial Team Bottom Line
Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim eye drops are a proven, well-tolerated antibiotic combination for treating bacterial conjunctivitis and eyelid-related eye infections. Most people only experience mild, temporary irritation at the time of instillation. Use the full prescribed course, and stop use and contact your doctor right away if you notice any signs of a serious allergic reaction.
How we write & review this content — our editorial policy →

📖 Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic: Patient Information Guide

A plain-language walkthrough of Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic — 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▾

Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic is a combination antibiotic eye drop approved to treat bacterial infections on the surface of the eye. It targets infections caused by specific susceptible bacteria.

  • Acute bacterial conjunctivitis — bacterial pink eye, with redness, discharge, and irritation
  • Blepharoconjunctivitis — infection involving both the eyelids and the surface of the eye
  • Infections caused by bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus viridans, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
⚙️How it works▾

This drop pairs two antibiotics that each disrupt bacteria in a different way. Trimethoprim blocks an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase — bacteria need this enzyme to produce the building blocks for DNA and proteins. Without it, they can't grow or reproduce. Importantly, trimethoprim binds to the bacterial version of this enzyme much more strongly than to the human version, so it targets bacteria selectively. Polymyxin B works faster: it attaches to the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and breaks it open, killing them quickly.

When applied as eye drops, only a tiny amount of either drug is absorbed into the bloodstream — blood levels after instillation are very low and not considered clinically significant.

💊How it's taken▾

For mild to moderate infections, one drop is placed in the affected eye or eyes approximately every three hours, with a maximum of six doses per day. Treatment typically continues for 7 to 10 days. The dosing schedule is the same for adults and for children over two months of age.

  • One drop per dose, in the affected eye(s)
  • Every 3 hours, up to 6 times daily
  • Continue for the full 7–10 days your prescriber recommends
  • Always follow your prescriber's specific instructions
🤒Side effects — in detail▾

The most common reactions are mild and happen right at the eye where the drop lands.

  • Burning or stinging on instillation
  • Increased eye redness
  • Itching
  • Tearing
  • Eyelid swelling
  • Rash around the eye

These can appear right away, within 48 hours, or with extended use. More serious reactions — including severe allergic responses (anaphylaxis) and rare but dangerous skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis) — have been reported and require immediate medical attention.

⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
  • For the eye only — never inject: This solution must only be placed on the eye surface. It must not be injected into or around the eye under any circumstances.
  • Allergic reactions: Stop use immediately and seek care if you develop worsening redness, swelling, rash, or itching. Severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis have been reported.
  • Serious skin reactions: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis — conditions involving severe blistering and peeling of the skin — have been reported. These are rare but life-threatening. Get emergency help immediately if this occurs.
  • Not for newborn eye infections: This product is not approved for preventing or treating eye infections in newborns (ophthalmic neonatorum).
🔀What it interacts with▾

The FDA label for this product does not identify specific drug, food, or supplement interactions for the ophthalmic (eye drop) form.

    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▾
    • Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to trimethoprim, polymyxin B, or any other ingredient in the product
    • This product is not approved for use in newborns for prevention or treatment of ophthalmic neonatorum
    • The drop has been studied and shown to be safe and effective for children older than two months — ask your doctor about use in infants under two months
    • If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss use with your doctor before starting
    🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾

    When applied as eye drops, trimethoprim and polymyxin B are absorbed very poorly through intact skin and mucous membranes. In a small study of healthy volunteers who received two drops of the ophthalmic solution, peak blood levels were approximately 0.03 mcg/mL for trimethoprim and 1 unit/mL for polymyxin B — very low amounts that are not considered clinically meaningful. This means the medication acts locally at the eye surface with minimal systemic (whole-body) exposure.

    📦How to store it▾

    Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) . Protect from light.

    📄 Written from Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic’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 Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

    What kind of eye infection does this drop treat? ▾
    These drops treat bacterial eye infections — specifically bacterial pink eye (conjunctivitis) and infections that involve both the eyelid and the eye surface (blepharoconjunctivitis). They work against several common bacteria that cause these types of infections. They won't help with viral or allergy-related pink eye, so it's important to know which type you have.
    How often do I use these drops and for how long? ▾
    You'll typically put one drop in the affected eye every three hours — that's up to six times a day. Most courses last 7 to 10 days. It's important to finish the full course even if your eye starts feeling better sooner, to make sure the infection is fully cleared.
    My eye burns a little when I put the drop in — is that normal? ▾
    Yes, burning and stinging right after the drop goes in is the most common reaction people notice. Some redness and itching can also happen. These usually settle quickly. That said, if the irritation is severe, is getting worse over time, or you develop eyelid swelling or a rash around the eye, stop using the drops and check in with your doctor.
    Are there any serious reactions I should watch out for? ▾
    Serious reactions are uncommon but real. Stop the drops and seek medical help right away if you have signs of a severe allergic reaction — things like difficulty breathing, significant swelling of the face or throat, or feeling faint. Very rarely, a serious skin reaction involving blistering or peeling (called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome) has been reported. If you notice anything like that, get emergency care immediately.
    Can my child use these drops? ▾
    Yes — these drops have been studied and found to be safe and effective for children older than two months, using the same dosing schedule as adults. If your child is under two months old, check with your doctor first before using this product.
    Can I use these drops to prevent an eye infection in my newborn? ▾
    No — this product is specifically not approved for preventing or treating eye infections in newborns. If you're concerned about a newborn's eyes, your doctor or midwife will use a different, approved treatment for that purpose.
    Is Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic available over the counter? ▾
    Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic is dispensed by prescription according to its FDA labeling, so it isn't sold over the counter. Your prescriber and pharmacist will determine if it's appropriate for you.
    When was Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic first available? ▾
    Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic has been available in the United States since at least 1997, based on FDA approval history (Drugs@FDA) and product marketing records.
    Who makes Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic? ▾
    Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic is supplied by 17 manufacturers listed in the FDA NDC Directory, including Remedyrepack Inc., NuCare Pharmaceuticals,Inc., A-S Medication Solutions.

    💬 Answers drafted from Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic’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

    🌿Drug & Supplement CheckerPolymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic vs. vitamins & herbs 💬Ask a PharmacistFree answer, usually < 24h 🔎NDC & pricing lookupFind Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic NDCs & costs 🅰️Browse Drugs A–ZLook up any medication

    💊 How Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic comes

    Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic 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 drops

    In the eye
    Brands Polytrim
    How this form is used
    What it may be used for
    • Treats acute bacterial conjunctivitis (bacterial pink eye) caused by susceptible bacteria
    • Treats blepharoconjunctivitis (combined eyelid and eye surface bacterial infection)
    • Active against bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
    Important instructions
    • Instill one drop into the affected eye(s) every three hours, up to a maximum of 6 doses per day
    • Use for 7 to 10 days as directed by your prescriber
    • For use in the eye only — never inject into the eye
    • Safe for adults and children over two months of age at the same dosing schedule
    Available strengths 5 strengths
    TRIMETHOPRIM SULFATE 1 mg/mL; POLYMYXIN B SULFATE 10000 [USP'U]/mL 10000 [USP'U]/mL / 1 mg/mL POLYMYXIN B SULFATE 10000 [IU]/mL; TRIMETHOPRIM 1 mg/mL POLYMYXIN B SULFATE 10000 [USP'U]/mL; TRIMETHOPRIM SULFATE 1 mg/mL 100000 [USP'U]/mL / 1 mg/mL
    47 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

    📊 Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic across the U.S. market

    How Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic 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.

    1
    Dose forms ⓘ
    17
    Manufacturers
    4
    Brand names
    47
    FDA-listed product records ⓘ
    1997
    First marketed ⓘ
    Remedyrepack Inc.15%
    NuCare Pharmaceuticals,Inc.11%
    A-S Medication Solutions9%
    RPK Pharmaceuticals, Inc.9%
    Direct Rx9%
    Preferred Pharmacetucials Inc.9%
    Other makers40%

    Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

    📈 How widely Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic is used

    A general measure of how commonly Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic 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 Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic 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.

    651,823
    Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
    $7.1M gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

    How commonly is Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic ranks #229 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 86% of them.

    Where Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5
    Total prescriptions — #229 of 1,596
    #224 Ethinyl Estradiol / Le... 668,771 Rx #225 Mometasone 666,398 Rx #226 Esomeprazole 663,042 Rx #227 Pravastatin 660,709 Rx #228 Rivaroxaban 655,610 Rx #229 Polymyxin B and Trimet... 651,823 Rx #230 Magnesium Oxide 648,844 Rx #231 Alendronate 645,853 Rx #232 Glimepiride 630,394 Rx #233 Doxepin (Insomnia) 628,470 Rx #234 Doxepin (Depression, A... 628,470 Rx

    Utilization by Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic product

    Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.

    Other Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic products — combination packs and listings not yet matched to a specific clinical product (kept visible so every prescription is accounted for)

    651,823 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 100% of Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic prescriptions shown $7.1M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $11 per prescription (gross)

    Summed across the 3 of 26 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity.

    Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.

    Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic, 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 3 of 26 listed Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic NDCs with Medicaid activity.

    🔍 Compare Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic products

    A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic — 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.)

    Showing 47 of 47 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 47 Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic NDCs →

    🏷️ Sold under these brand names

    Polytrim

    🏭 Manufacturers & labelers

    Remedyrepack Inc. 7 NuCare Pharmaceuticals,Inc. 5 A-S Medication Solutions 4 RPK Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4 Direct Rx 4 Preferred Pharmacetucials Inc. 4 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated 3 Proficient Rx LP 3 Preferred Pharmaceuticals Inc. 3 Pacific Pharma, Inc. 2 Sandoz Inc 2 Somerset Therapeutics, LLC 1 Allergan, Inc. 1 Sportpharm LLC 1 Direct_Rx 1 Quality Care Products LLC 1 Akorn 1

    RxNorm drug class

    Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic belongs to the Dihydrofolate Reductase Inhibitor Antibacterial class.

    Pharmacologic class Dihydrofolate Reductase Inhibitor Antibacterial
    Drug family (ATC) Trimethoprim and derivatives
    How it works Dihydrofolate Reductase Inhibitors, Organic Cation Transporter 2 Inhibitors, Cytochrome P450 2C8 Inhibitors

    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.

    📄
    FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Jan 27, 2026
    🏭
    Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic.
    📈
    Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
    🚨
    Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
    🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Polymyxin B and Trimethoprim Ophthalmic after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
    Clinical labels in scope
    17
    NDC products indexed
    47
    Distinct labelers/manufacturers represented
    17
    Linked representative label ⓘ
    Remedyrepack Inc.
    Linked label effective
    Jan 27, 2026
    Composite sections available
    14
    Linked SPL Set ID
    2a040ba4-54bd-41e4-b519-01ca6a59658f
    Linked SPL Document ID
    49626196-7f03-d41b-e063-6294a90a3bfc
    Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

    How we combine label and product data

    HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 17 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. Remedyrepack Inc. 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.