TY - JOUR T1 - Topical steroid and antibiotic combination therapy in red eye conditions JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 304 LP - 304 VL - 56 IS - 525 AU - Steven E Bradshaw AU - Pallavi Shankar AU - Raj Maini Y1 - 2006/04/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/56/525/304.abstract N2 - The ‘acute red eye’ is a common ophthalmic presentation to primary health care. The majority of cases can safely and successfully be treated in the community. With the advent of combination preparations containing topical steroid and antibiotic such as Betnesol N® (betamethasone and neomycin) and Maxitrol® (dexamethasone and neomycin) there appear to be some who favour this ‘blanket’ treatment. Unfortunately, in doing so these patients run the small, but potentially devastating, risk of exacerbation of latent herpetic infection, secondary infection and increased intraocular pressures, the latter which may go unmonitored. While it is true that the majority of these patients who have been treated for red eye with these drops … ER -