Do Moxifloxacin Eye Drops Feel Gritty?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to us!

I can understand your concern regarding your moxifloxacin ophthalmic drops (generic for Vigamox and Moxeza). If something doesn't feel right, it's always a good idea to check in with a health care professional.

Gritty Feeling

Moxifloxacin, the active ingredient in two different brand name eye drops (Vigamox and Moxeza), is an antibiotic belonging to the 'quinolone' family of antibiotics.

It is used for a variety of ophthalmic conditions, including conjunctivitis, and as a preventative for infections both pre and post-surgery.

Many antibiotic eye drops, including moxifloxacin, have mild side effects associated with them after administration, including a feeling of burning and general irritation.

A feeling of 'grittiness' is a reported side effect of moxifloxacin and is a commonly reported description of how the eye drops feel in some patients when they are used.

In fact, one study, published in 'Clinical Ophthalmology' specifically tracked how patients described the feeling of two different antibiotic eye drops (moxifloxacin and azithromycin), and the following descriptors were recorded:

• Achy
• Burning
• Gritty
• Irritating
• Sticky
• Filmy
• Thick
• Stinging

The point here is that a feeling of grittiness after using moxifloxacin eye drops is not uncommon. Others experience it as well and it doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the eye drops.

I do want to mention here too that you do not need to shake the bottle containing moxifloxacin eye drops before using. The drug formulation is a 'solution', which, unlike 'suspensions', does not need to be aggitated. Shaking the bottle before using may actually make administration harder due to the bubbles formed.

Additional Information

Even though a feeling of 'grittiness' in the eye after using antibiotic drops isn't unusual, you always do want to double-check the drug is in-date (i.e. not expired) and came with a seal on it.

It is possible that an expired drug or a drug that has degraded due to inappropriate storage could be physically affected.

Additionally, it is important to note that if you have an active infection in the eye, a gritty feeling is a very common symptom that patients experience.

Final Words

Thank you again for reaching out to us.

It is important to use your eye drops as recommended by your doctor and if the side effect you are experiencing is causing you trouble in continuing to use them, be sure to contact them for a possible alternative.

Moxifloxacin eye drops are actually one of the better tolerated antibiotic drops out there, but there are certainly several other options as well if necessary.