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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using cyclosporine ophthalmic (Restasis)?

Do not use cyclosporine ophthalmic if you have any type of infection in the eye(s).

Cyclosporine ophthalmic is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use cyclosporine ophthalmic without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether cyclosporine ophthalmic passes into breast milk. Do not use cyclosporine ophthalmic without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use cyclosporine ophthalmic (Restasis)?

Use cyclosporine ophthalmic eye drops exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

Wash your hands before using the eye drops.

To apply the eye drops:

• Gently turn the bottle upside down a few times to obtain a uniformly white mixture in the bottle. Tilt your head back slightly and pull down on your lower eyelid. Position the dropper above your eye. Look up and away from the dropper. Squeeze out a drop and close your eye. Repeat the process in the other eye if directed.
• Use cyclosporine ophthalmic twice a day, approximately every 12 hours, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
• Use each bottle for one dose only (one or both eyes). Throw away any remaining medication.
• Artificial tears may be used during treatment with cyclosporine ophthalmic. Allow a 15 minute interval between application of the two products.

Do not touch the dropper to any surface, including the eyes or hands. The dropper is sterile. If it becomes contaminated, it could cause an infection in the eye(s).

Do not use cyclosporine ophthalmic while wearing contact lenses. Contact lenses may be reinserted 15 minutes following administration of cyclosporine ophthalmic, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

Store cyclosporine ophthalmic at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the bottle properly capped.

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