How to Check If a Pharmacy Has Eyemycin in Stock (Without Calling)

When erythromycin ophthalmic ointment is in short supply, the standard approach — calling your pharmacy — often means waiting on hold only to hear 'we don't have it.' Multiply that by 5–10 pharmacies and you've wasted half your day. Here's a smarter approach.

Why Eyemycin Is So Hard to Find at Pharmacies

Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment has been in intermittent shortage since 2019, with Akorn and Padagis both exiting the market and Bausch & Lomb remaining as the primary commercial supplier. Retail pharmacies compete for limited supply, and availability varies significantly not just between chains but between individual stores — and even between days.

The Fastest Way: Use medfinder

The most effective option is medfinder. Instead of you calling each pharmacy, medfinder does it for you. Here's how it works:

Enter your medication name (erythromycin ophthalmic ointment 0.5% or Eyemycin) and your location

medfinder calls pharmacies near you to ask which ones can fill your prescription

Results are texted to you — typically within a short window of time

Take your prescription to the pharmacy that confirmed they have it in stock

This approach is especially valuable for Eyemycin, where availability can vary between stores a few blocks apart.

Using GoodRx to Compare Prices and Availability

GoodRx.com allows you to search for erythromycin ophthalmic ointment and see which pharmacies in your area offer discounted prices. While GoodRx doesn't provide real-time inventory data, pharmacies that are listed with coupon prices are likely to have the medication in stock more often.

Steps: Search 'erythromycin ophthalmic ointment 0.5%' on GoodRx → Enter your zip code → See prices at nearby pharmacies. Use this as a starting point for where to check or call.

Checking Pharmacy Websites Directly

Some large pharmacy chains allow you to check medication availability online:

CVS Pharmacy: Log in to your account at CVS.com; you can check if a medication is available for pickup at a specific store (works best for medications you've previously filled there)

Walgreens: The Walgreens app and website allow you to check store availability for some prescriptions when logged in

Costco Pharmacy: Costco's pharmacy website lists prices for common generic medications and their warehouses frequently carry items that retail chains don't

Note: Online pharmacy inventory checks often don't reflect real-time stock accurately for shortage medications. Always verify with a phone call or medfinder before making a trip.

Tips for Smarter Pharmacy Searching

Search for both sizes: Ask about the 3.5g retail tube AND the 1g unit-dose tubes. They have different NDC numbers and may be tracked differently in inventory systems.

Try independent pharmacies: They often source from different wholesalers than chain pharmacies and may have stock when chains are empty.

Check neighboring zip codes: Shortage patterns can be hyper-local. A pharmacy two towns over may have full stock while your neighborhood is completely dry.

Ask about compounding: If retail stock is consistently unavailable in your area, ask your prescriber about a referral to a compounding pharmacy that can prepare sterile erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment.

When to Consider Switching Medications

If your infection is worsening and you can't find erythromycin within 24 hours, don't wait — contact your prescriber about switching to an available alternative. Tobramycin drops, bacitracin ointment, and fluoroquinolone eye drops are all effective for many bacterial eye infections. Read our guide on alternatives to Eyemycin for a full comparison.