James P. McCulley, M.D., of Dallas, Texas, advises that you remember these tips from the Centers of Disease Control:

�        Avoid subtherapeutic dosing by prescribing antibiotic drops to be taken at least q.i.d., and don�t taper dosing to less than q.i.d.

�        Don�t use topical antibiotics preoperatively for more than 3 to 7 days; use them postoperatively only until the wound is stable and the epithelium is intact. Then stop and don�t taper them.

�        Use bactericidal rather than bacteriostatic agents when possible. You want to kill the pathogens, not just inhibit their growth.