Cromolyn Ophthalmic

Before using cromolyn ophthalmic,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cromolyn, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in cromolyn ophthalmic. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following, especially other eye medications. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using cromolyn ophthalmic, call your doctor.
• tell your doctor if you wear contact lenses. Do not wear contact lenses while you are using cromolyn eye drops.

• Crolom^®

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

For best results, use this medicine at regular intervals.

Wash your hands before using the eye drops.

To apply the eye drops:

• Tilt your head back slightly and pull down your lower eyelid to create a small pocket. Hold the dropper above the eye with the tip down. Look up and away from the dropper and squeeze out a drop.
• Close your eyes for 2 or 3 minutes with your head tipped down, without blinking or squinting. Gently press your finger to the inside corner of the eye for about 1 minute, to keep the liquid from draining into your tear duct.
• Use only the number of drops your doctor has prescribed. If you use more than one drop, wait about 5 minutes between drops.
• Wait at least 10 minutes before using any other eye drops your doctor has prescribed.

Do not touch the tip of the eye dropper or place it directly on your eye. A contaminated dropper can infect your eye, which could lead to serious vision problems.

Do not use the eye drops if the liquid has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.

It may take up to 6 weeks before your symptoms improve. Keep using the medication as directed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Do not freeze. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

An overdose of cromolyn sodium ophthalmic is not expected to be dangerous. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 if anyone has accidentally swallowed the medication.

Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cromolyn sodium.

Do not allow the tip of the eye dropper to touch any surface, including the eyes or hands. If the dropper becomes contaminated it could cause an infection in your eye, which can lead to vision loss or serious damage to the eye.

It may take up to 6 weeks of using cromolyn sodium before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 weeks of treatment.

Do not wear contact lenses while using cromolyn sodium ophthalmic, or when you have allergy symptoms affecting your eyes.

During treatment with cromolyn sodium ophthalmic, avoid using any other eye medications that your doctor has not prescribed.

If your symptoms do not improve or if your condition becomes worse, check with your doctor.

Conjunctivitis and keratitis: Ophthalmic: Children ≥4 years and Adolescents: Refer to adult dosing.

Applies to cromolyn ophthalmic: ophthalmic solution

Along with its needed effects, cromolyn ophthalmic may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur while taking cromolyn ophthalmic:

• Rash or redness around the eyes
• swelling of the membrane covering the white part of the eye, redness of the white part of the eye, styes, or other eye irritation not present before therapy

Some side effects of cromolyn ophthalmic may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Burning or stinging of eye (mild and temporary)

• Dryness or puffiness around the eye
• watering or itching of eye (increased)

Applies to cromolyn ophthalmic: ophthalmic solution

General

The most commonly reported side effect includes eye irritation such as burning/stinging.[Ref]

Ocular

Uncommon: Conjunctival infection; watery eyes, itchy eyes, dryness around the eye, puffy eyes, eye irritation, styes, swelling of the eyelids, conjunctiva swelling[Ref]

Swelling of the eyelids or the conjunctiva has been reported and is thought to be due to a hypersensitivity to the preservative, benzalkonium chloride.[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Rare: Immediate hypersensitivity reactions including edema, rash, dyspnea[Ref]

Some side effects of cromolyn ophthalmic may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

Instill 1 or 2 drops into both eyes 4 to 6 times a day

Comments:
-Symptom improvement is generally observed within a few days although treatment up to 6 weeks may be needed.
-Treatment should continue as long as needed to sustain improvement.

Use: For the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis, vernal conjunctivitis, and vernal keratitis.

No adjustment recommended