Eye Allergies (cont.)

Medications

Prescription eyedrops are generally very effective, and, because they are applied topically, eyedrops are usually free of many systemic side effects. Most eyedrops are used twice a day, and many can be used to prevent the allergic reaction in the first place. Some common allergy eyedrops include:

• Nedocromil (Alocril)
  
  
• Ketotifen (Zaditor)
  
  
• Olopatadine (Patanol)
  
  
• Azelastine (Optivar)
  
  
• Pemirolast (Alamast)
  
  
• Epinastine (Elestat)

Your ophthalmologist may prescribe cyclosporine A (Restasis). By helping to reduce the inflammatory and/or allergic reaction, cyclosporine A may help decrease your symptoms.

For more serious cases, topical ophthalmic corticosteroids can be used; however, many of the older corticosteroids are associated with ocular side effects with long-term use. The newer ophthalmic corticosteroids have a much lower risk of ocular side effects. Some common topical ophthalmic corticosteroids are:

• Loteprednol 0.02% (Alrex)
  
  
• Loteprednol 0.05% (Lotemax)
  
  
• Prednisolone (AK-Pred)
  
  
• Rimexolone (Vexol)
  
  
• Medrysone (HMS)
  
  
• Fluorometholone (FML, FML Forte, FML Liquifilm)
  
  

Next: Other Therapy »

Printer-Friendly Format

|

Email to a Friend