Do Moxifloxacin Eye Drops Feel Gritty?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist answers a question regarding how moxifloxacin eye drops feel when administered.
I am scheduled for cataract surgery in the morning. I was given Moxifloxacin Ophthalmic Drops by the physician to put in my eye three times today. It felt gritty this morning but thought perhaps I had “sleep” in my eye. This afternoon, I cleaned off my eye and shook the bottle well. It still feels gritty. I tried it in my non-surgical eye and it also felt gritty. Is this normal for this medicine? I had eye surgery years back and do not remember any pain. I tried calling the Eye Institute office but they had left for the day and have not returned my call.
Apr 20, 2022- A gritty feeling is a commonly reported side effect of moxifloxacin eye drops and does not mean anything is wrong with the medication.
- Moxifloxacin eye drops may cause other mild side effects like burning, irritation, or a sticky feeling in addition to grittiness.
- If the gritty feeling is bothersome, talk to your doctor about alternative antibiotic eye drops since several other options are available.
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 agitated. 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.
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Moxifloxacin
- An antibiotic medication used in eye drops to treat infections and prevent infection after eye surgery.
- Ophthalmic
- Relating to or for use in the eyes.
- Quinolone
- A family of antibiotic drugs that work by stopping bacteria from reproducing.
- Conjunctivitis
- An eye infection or inflammation of the membrane covering the white part of the eye and inner eyelid.
- Side effects
- Unwanted reactions that occur in addition to the intended therapeutic effect of a medication.
- Solution
- A liquid medication where the active ingredient is completely dissolved and does not require shaking before use.
- Suspension
- A liquid medication where the active ingredient is suspended in the liquid and requires shaking to distribute it evenly before use.
- Expired
- Past the date when a medication is no longer guaranteed to be safe and effective to use.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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