General Information on Herplex D
The generic name of Herplex D is idoxuridine ophthalmic and it is an antiviral medication. It helps in preventing the spread of the herpes simplex virus. Ophthalmologists prescribe Herplex D to treat eye infections caused by the virus. It is easily available in pharmacies and you can buy Herplex D once your eye specialist prescribes it. Herplex D belongs to the Glycerol and derivatives class as well as Pyrimidines and derivatives class.
The mechanism of action of Herplex D is that it inhibits viral replication by substituting thymidine with idoxuridine in the viral DNA. This inhibits proper functioning of viral DNA polymerases and thymidylate phosphorylase and the virus is thus unable to destroy or infect tissues.
Side effects of Herplex D
Serious side effects of Herplex D have not been reported though mild symptoms can appear. Some of the symptoms experienced by patients include sensitivity to light, stinging pain, and irritation in the eye, burning sensation in the eye, itching on the eyelid and eye, blurred vision and swelling of the eyelid. Most of these symptoms will disappear within a few days. If they persist, you are advised to consult your eye specialist immediately.
Precautions
There are certain precautions that are necessary while using Herplex D. It is an eye drop and you need to ensure that the dropper should not touch the eye when administering the medicine. The dropper should also not come into contact with other surfaces like hands and needs to be stored in a clean place. If the dropper gets contaminated then it can cause eye infection. Administration of Herplex D will increase your light sensitivity and it might be difficult to walk in the sun. Hence, it is advisable to wear sun glasses to prevent any damage to the eyes from sunlight and also to prevent irritation.
Herplex D Dosage
Herplex D is available in the form of ointment and solutions. Depending on what your eye specialist has prescribed you need to buy Herplex D. It is very important to clean hands before administering Herplex D ointment or solution. The doses of idoxuridine will be different for each patient and you need to follow the dosage requirement as specified by your ophthalmologist. The eye ointment dosage for children and adults should be administered 5 times a day or every 4 hours. The eye solution dosage for children and adults should be administered every hour in the day and every 2 hours in the night. Once the eye condition looks better, the dosage of drops can be reduced to every 2 hours during the day and every 4 hours during the night. After applying eye ointment or drops keep your eye closed for 1-2 minutes so that the medicine can have its effect on the infection.
Interactions
Using Herplex D with any other medicine or eye ointment is not recommended as interactions might occur. It is advised by eye specialists that patients using this medicine should refrain from taking alcohol or tobacco as this might lead to an interaction.
