What Are Vigamox Eye Drops?

Vigamox, or moxifloxacin hydrochloride ophthalmic solution, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an effective eye infection treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis. This condition affects the membranes covering the inside of a person's eyelids as well as the membranes that create the white in eyeballs. Vigamox can only be legally acquired in the United States with a doctor's prescription.

How Vigamox Eye Drops Work

• Vigamox eye drops should be placed in the eye three times a day, one drop per application, for up to seven days, according to the government website DailyMed--although your health care provider may want you to use the medication on a different schedule. Follow your health care provider's advice. Avoid placing Vigamox's dropper directly into the eye or on any surface such as skin or a table, as this can worsen the conjunctivitis or even lead to further eye infections.

Common Side Effects of Vigamox Eye Drops

• Like all eye drop medications, and medications generally, side effects or an allergic reaction can happen with Vigamox eye drops. Up to 6 percent of patients have reported some common side effects, according to DailyMed. Possible side effects from Vigamox use include excessive crying, further incidents of conjunctivitis, hemorrhage just beneath the conjunctiva, dry eye, itching in the eye and on the body, visual problems and an inflammation of the cornea commonly called keratitis.

Less Common Side Effects of Vigamox Eye Drops

• About 1 percent of patients treated with Vigamox eye drops have reported additional side effects as a result of the prescription, according to DailyMed. These side effects include increased coughing, fever, rash, infections, an inflammation of the middle ear known as otitis media, inflammation of the pharynx of the throat or pharyngitis, and rhinitis or an irritation of the nose.

Warnings for Vigamox Medicated Eye Drops

• Using too much Vigamox can lead to the growth of additional bacteria or worsen conjunctivitis, according to DailyMed. Pregnant women should only use Vigamox or any similar treatment as a last resort, because it is not known how it affects the fetus. Likewise, women who are breastfeeding or infants under a year old are advised against using Vigamox eye drops.

Cost of Vigamox Eye Drops

• Vigamox is usually covered partially or fully by most insurance companies. The exact amount the patient must pay will depend on the individual's insurance plan, however. Patient assistance programs are available for uninsured people with low incomes. As of 2009, a 3-mL bottle of Vigamox, with 0.5 percent of the active ingredient, cost about $79. Three bottles of Vigamox eye drops could be purchased for about $220.