Different eye diseases are treated with ophthalmic loteprednol products:

• After cataract surgery, which is a technique to treat clouding of the eye’s lens, loteprednol (Inveltys, Lotemax, Lotemax SM) is used to relieve discomfort and swelling.
• Loteprednol (Alrex) is used to lessen the swelling, itching, and redness of the eyes brought on by seasonal allergies.
• Loteprednol (Lotemax) is used to treat ocular rosacea (condition that can cause swelling, redness, and itching of the eye), herpes zoster (shingles), a rash that can affect the eyes in people who have previously had chickenpox, and other eye conditions.
• Dry eye disease, a condition when the tears do not provide enough lubrication for the eyes, is treated with loteprednol (Eysuvis).

Loteprednol belongs to the corticosteroid drug class. It functions by preventing the release of specific organic compounds that cause discomfort, itchiness, and edema.

Ophthalmic loteprednol is available as an eye ointment to apply to the eye as well as a suspension (liquid) and gel for instilling into the eyes. Loteprednol 0.5% (Lotemax) eye drops, eye gel, and eye ointment are often applied four times daily starting the day following surgery and continuing for two weeks when used to alleviate eye edema and pain after eye surgery. It is typical to inject loteprednol 0.38% gel (Lotemax SM) three times per day starting the day following surgery and continuing for two weeks. Typically, loteprednol 1% eye drops (Inveltys) are applied twice daily starting the day following surgery and continuing for 2 weeks. Loteprednol 0.2% eye drops (Alrex) are typically injected into the afflicted eye(s) four times a day when used to treat seasonal allergies. Loteprednol 0.5% eye drops (Lotemax) are typically injected into the affected eye or eyes four times daily when used to treat certain disorders that cause eye edema; however, during the first week of treatment, your doctor may advise you to do so more frequently. Loteprednol 0.25% (Eysuvis) eye drops are typically injected into the afflicted eye(s) four times per day for two weeks when used to treat dry eye. Utilize loteprednol every day at roughly the same periods. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Implement loteprednol ophthalmic exactly as advised. Use it only as directed by your doctor, neither more nor less often.

Be careful not to allow the bottle or tube’s tip touch your eyes, fingers, face, or any other surface when using ophthalmic loteprednol. Bacteria could enter the drug if the tip does come into contact with another surface. Use of bacterially contaminated eye medicine may result in severe eye damage or blindness. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you believe your eye drops, gel, or ointment has gotten contaminated.

Follow these steps to apply the eye drops or gel:

• Use soap and water to thoroughly wash your hands.
• Shake the container of eye drops thoroughly for at least three seconds before usage. If using the gel, shake it once after shaking the closed bottle on its side.
• Make sure the dropper tip is not broken or chipped by inspecting it.
• Keep the eye drops and dropper clean by avoiding rubbing the tip against your eye or anything else.
• Pull your lower eyelid down to create a pocket with your index finger while cocking your head back.
• With your other hand, place the dropper as near to your eye as you can without touching it, tip down.
• Place the hand’s remaining fingers to your face.
• Squeeze the dropper gently while looking up so that a single drop falls into the lower eyelid’s pocket. Your index finger should be taken off the lower eyelid.
• Tip your head down so that you are looking at the floor while closing your eyes for two to three minutes. Avoid blinking or squeezing your eyelids.
• Give the tear duct a slight squeeze with your finger.
• Apply a napkin to your face to remove any extra liquid or gel.
• If you need to put more than one drop in the same eye, wait at least five minutes before doing so.
• The dropper bottle’s cap should be replaced and tightened. Avoid cleaning or rinsing the dropper tip.
• To get any medication off your hands, wash them.

Follow these directions to apply the eye ointment:

• Use soap and water to thoroughly wash your hands.
• Apply the cream yourself or have someone else do it.
• Do not touch the tube’s tip to your eye or to anything else. Keep the ointment tidy at all times.
• Lean your head slightly forward.
• Place the tube as close to your eyelid as you can without touching it while holding it between your thumb and index finger.
• Put the hand’s remaining fingers against your cheek or nose.
• Pull the lower eyelid of your other hand down to create a pocket with your index finger.
• The pocket created by the lower lid and the eye should be filled with a modest amount of ointment. Unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, a 1/2-inch (1.25-centimeter) strip of ointment is typically sufficient.
• To allow the medication to be absorbed, gently close your eyes and maintain them closed for a minute or two.
• Replace the cap immediately, then tighten it.
• With a fresh tissue, remove any remaining eyelid and lash lotion. Repeat the hand washing.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before using loteprednol eye drops,

• If you have any allergies, including those to any of the ingredients in loteprednol eye drops, gel, or ointment, notify your doctor and pharmacist very away. Request a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• If you currently have any kind of eye infection, let your doctor know. Your physician could advise against using ophthalmic loteprednol.
• Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had glaucoma, any other eye conditions, or herpes simplex virus, which can also cause eye infections. Glaucoma is a condition in which increased pressure in the eye can cause a gradual loss of vision.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking ophthalmic loteprednol.
• If you wear contact lenses, let your doctor know. During your ophthalmic loteprednol treatment, your doctor could advise you to refrain from wearing contact lenses. You should be aware that loteprednol eye drops include benzalkonium chloride, which can be absorbed by soft contact lenses, if your doctor says you can wear contacts during your therapy. Before applying the eye drops, take out your soft contact lenses, and put them back in at least 10 to 15 minutes later. During your therapy with loteprednol gel or ointment, you should not wear contact lenses.
• If you are using loteprednol following surgery, you should be aware that it may impede recovery, raise the risk of specific complications following cataract surgery, and increase your risk of developing an eye infection or making an existing infection worse. Call your doctor right away if you get any new eye pain, swelling, redness, itching, or pain that does not go away within two days.
• If your symptoms do not subside after two days while using loteprednol eye drops for seasonal allergies or to lessen eye edema brought on by certain other disorders, call your doctor.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

The missed dose should be taken as soon as you remember. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. Use only the prescribed amount of eye drops, gel, or ointment each time.

There may be negative effects from loteprednol. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• When eye drops are injected, there is a burning sensation
• Headache
• Red, dry, or scratchy eyes
• Tearing up
• Clogged nose

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if any of these symptoms occur to you:

• Eyesight changes or haziness
• Eye discomfort
• Responsiveness to light
• Tearing or crusting of the eyes
• Experiencing a foreign object in the eye

When administered for a longer duration, ophthalmic loteprednol may raise the chance of getting glaucoma. Your doctor will likely keep an eye on your eye pressure if you use loteprednol eye drops, eye gel, or ointment for more than 10 days. Discuss the dangers of using this drug with your doctor.

Other negative effects could be brought on by ophthalmic loteprednol. If you experience any strange issues while taking this drug, call your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or by phone at 1-800-332-1088 if you have a serious side event.

Keep this medication out of the reach of children, tightly closed in the original container. Keep it at room temperature and out of the bathroom and other places with excessive heat and moisture. Avoid freezing.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning.http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilizing a medicine take-back program is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programs in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back program, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 if someone consumes ophthalmic loteprednol. Dial 911 to reach the nearest emergency services if the sufferer has collapsed or has stopped breathing.

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.