Lastacaft

Alcaftadine eye drops may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• eye irritation
• itching, burning, or stinging of the eye
• eye redness
• runny nose
• headache

Alcaftadine eye drops may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Alcaftadine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms such as itchy or watery eyes.

Alcaftadine ophthalmic (for the eyes) is used to prevent itching in the eyes caused by allergies.

Alcaftadine ophthalmic should not be used to treat eye irritation caused by contact lenses.

Alcaftadine ophthalmic may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Lastacaft is a prescription medication used to prevent eye itchiness caused by a condition called allergic conjunctivitis. Lastacaft belongs to a group of drugs called antihistamines. These work by blocking the effects of histamine, a substance in the body that causes itching and allergies. 

This medication comes in eyedrop form and is usually administered once per day.

Common side effects of Lastacaft include eye irritation, burning or stinging after administration, and eye redness.

Lastacaft can also cause blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lastacaft affects you.

Lastacaft is a prescription medication used to prevent eye itchiness caused by a condition called allergic conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis, also known as "pink eye," occurs when there is inflammation or swelling in the clear layer of tissue in the eye (conjunctiva) caused by a reaction to pollen, dander, mold, or other allergens as well as bacteria, fungi, and/or viruses.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Lastacaft. See the “Lastacaft Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Lastacaft include the following:

• eye redness
• burning or itching of the eyes
• eye swelling
• blurred vision

This is not a complete list of Lastacaft side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• how you respond to this medication

The recommended dose of Lastacaft for the prevention of eye itchiness due to allergic conjunctivitis is 1 drop into the affected eye once daily.

If you use too much Lastacaft, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine 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 immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Burning or stinging sensation in the eye
• itching of the eyes
• red, sore eyes

Some side effects 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:

• Chills
• cough
• diarrhea
• fever
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• headache
• joint pain
• loss of appetite
• muscle aches and pains
• nausea
• runny nose
• shivering
• sore throat
• stuffy or runny nose
• sweating
• trouble sleeping
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Lastacaft® is an H1 histamine receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis.

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.

Clinical Studies Experience

The most frequent ocular adverse reactions, occurring in less than 4% of eyes treated with Lastacaft®, were eye irritation, burning and/or stinging upon instillation, eye redness and eye pruritus.

Non-ocular Adverse Reactions

The most frequent non-ocular adverse reactions, occurring in less than 3% of subjects with eyes treated with Lastacaft®, were nasopharyngitis and headache. Some of these events were similar to the underlying disease being studied.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postmarketing use of Lastacaft® in clinical practice. Because they are reported voluntarily from a population of unknown size, estimates of frequency cannot be made. These reactions include eye discharge, eye swelling, erythema of eyelid, eyelid edema, lacrimation increased, vision blurred, hypersensitivity reactions including swelling of the face or allergic dermatitis, and somnolence.

Lastacaft (alcaftadine) is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms such as itchy or watery eyes.

Lastacaft ophthalmic solution is used to prevent itching in the eyes caused by allergies.

Lastacaft should not be used to treat eye irritation caused by contact lenses.

Lastacaft may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

To make sure you can safely use Lastacaft, tell your doctor about any medical conditions that affect your eyes.

Lastacaft should not be used to treat eye irritation caused by contact lenses.

Do not use Lastacaft while wearing contact lenses. Lastacaft ophthalmic may contain a preservative that can discolor soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using Lastacaft before putting your contact lenses in. Lastacaft should not be used in a child younger than 2 years old. Do not allow the tip of the dropper to touch any surface, including your 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. Stop using Lastacaft and call your doctor at once if you have severe burning, stinging, or other irritation after using the eye drops.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on Lastacaft used in the eyes. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.