Framycetin is an antibiotic in the aminoglycoside class used most commonly in a topical preparation to treat bacterial infections of the eyes. This medication is available in the form of drops or a solution, and is provided by prescription only, to make sure it is used appropriately. Usually, it is prescribed by an ophthalmologist, although a general practitioner handling a basic eye infection may provide framycetin to a patient in some cases. Patients who do not respond to this medication may have a resistant infection and could require more aggressive drugs.
This drug is a broad spectrum antibiotic, working against a range of bacteria. It works by forcing bacteria to produce abnormal proteins. Relying on these proteins to function, the bacteria die because the proteins are not structured properly. Over time, the size and intensity of the infection will diminish as a result of the die-off. Not all bacteria are sensitive to framycetin, but many of those commonly involved in eye infections are, and thus it can be a good choice for treating an eye infection when the cause is not known.
Often, framycetin is prescribed with a steroid medication to reduce inflammation. For convenience, the drugs are often packaged together in a combination product. In other cases, patients may need to take the drugs separately. The length of treatment varies, depending on the nature of the infection, how well it responds, and the medications provided.
When this medication is prescribed, people should make sure to complete a full course, even if they start to feel better before the medication is finished. Bacteria can continue to linger at the site of the infection, and they will begin breeding and multiplying, causing the infection to recur. Survival of a partial course of antibiotics is also more likely to render the bacteria resistant, making the recurrent infection harder to treat and contributing to higher rates of antibiotic resistance in the general population.
In addition to being used on the eyes, framycetin may also be used in the management of some gastrointestinal infections as well as being applied topically for nasal infections and some other conditions. These uses are not as common. In all cases where a topical application is being applied, patients should wash their hands before and after taking the medication to avoid introducing contaminants into the drug and prevent the spread of the infection by accidentally handling uninfected areas of the body after applying the antibiotic.