I have an infection that is near my eye. can i go on minocycline or do i need a stronger antibiotic? i had a zit on my upper cheek, near my eye that i picked at and it got infected. it has been swollen off and on for 2 days and now has redness around it

Any : Any time there is an infection or injury that involves the eye or is near the eye, you should be seen by a doctor. Eye infections can be very serious. Depending on what is causing the infection, Minocycline may or may not work. When we see an infection like that we typically use an antibiotic that is more broad-spectrum (stronger) than minocycline. Instead of trying to treat yourself, you should be seen as soon as possible before it worsens.

Anytime : Anytime an infection occurs in the skin around the eye, it can easily spread into the tissues around the eye itself. The worry is that spread to the eye can cause severe damage to vision, or the infection can spread to the rest of the body. Minocycline is rarely used in this circumstance. You should see a doctor, and consider visiting an ophthalmologist as well. Different antibiotics are effective against a different set of bacteria, so using one that does not treat this type of infection specifically is not much use!

Whenever : Whenever you have an infection, it is best to have it evaluated by a physician. It sounds like that you have a "preseptal cellulitis", this is relatively benign condition. However, it is difficult to assess without looking at your condition, it can be more serious. Minocycline is not a common antibiotic used around the eye for an infection. I strongly recommend a visit to your ophthalmologist.