Antibiotic eye drops shorten the duration of infectious conjunctivitis in children

Authors´ conclusions: topical antibiotics were associated with significantly shorter durations of conjunctival symptoms in children with acute infective conjunctivitis.

Reviewers´ commentary: the use of topical antibiotics modestly benefits the patient, shortening the clinical cure in acute conjunctivitis. However, given the self-limited course of this pathology and the lack of cost-effectiveness studies in this area, its generalized prescription in primary care does not seem justified. Such studies should be carried out to assess the overall impact on society of the treatment of these patients.