Antibiotics Doctors commonly use oral antibiotics for the following conditions: Internal hordeolum. Most internal hordeola respond to aggressive ...TogglenavigationLeadershipinclinicalcareHOMECETOPICSCaseReportsCodingContactLenses&SolutionsCorneaDiagnosticsDryEyeEyelidsGlaucomaLowVisionNeuro-ophthalmicDisordersNewsOphthalmicLenses&DispensaryOptometricStudyCenterPharmaceuticalsPracticeManagementProductsRetinaSurgerySystemicDiseaseTechnologyMultimediaWebExclusivesEVENTSCEProgramsEducationalPrograms(Non-CE)JOBSandRandallThomas,O.D.WhenOregonpasseditsoralsandinjectablesbillinlateJune,itbecamethe37thstatetoallowoptometristssomemeasureoforaltherapeuticprescriptiveauthority.Now,morethanever,weneedtounderstandhowtousealltheweaponsinourtreatmentarsenal,includingoralmedications.Ourjobasoptometricphysiciansistohelppatientsinneed.Inmostcaseswecanmeettheseneedswithtopicalmedicines,butwithsomeuncommonclinicalconditions,optimumpatientcarerequiresanoralmedication.Thesemedicationsincludeantibiotics,analgesics,antivirals,anti-allergydrugs,corticosteroidsandcarbonicanhydraseinhibitors.Here,we’llexplainhowandwhentousethem.AntibioticsDoctorscommonlyuseoralantibioticsforthefollowingconditions:Internalhordeolum.Mostinternalhordeolarespondtoaggressiveapplicationsofwarmsoaks(10minutesatatime,repeatedatleastqid).Forthoselarger,moretenderandpainfulhordeola,supplementheattherapywithoralantibiotics.WesuggestKeflex(cephalexin)500mgbidforpatientswhoarenotallergictopenicillinorcephalosporins.Whenthepatienthasapenicillinorcephalosporinallergy,Zithromax(azithromycin)inaZ-pak(500mgondayone,followedby250mgforthenextfourdays)isagoodalternative.Ifthepatientalsohasallergiestomacrolides,werecommendtheoralfluoroquinoloneLevaquin(levofloxacin)at500mgoncedaily.Patientsusuallytakeoralantibioticsforsevendays.Severeexternalinfections/preseptalcellulitis.Youcanusethesameapproachwithseverebacterialinfectionsorpreseptalcellulitis.However,aNeisseriagonorrhoeaeinfectionthatcausesahyperactiveconjuncti-vitisisbesttrea