Loteprednol Etabonate

You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to loteprednol or other steroids, or if you have any type of fungal, viral, or bacterial infection of your eye (including herpes or chickenpox).

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 2 days of treatment. Stop using loteprednol and call your doctor at once if you have signs of a new eye infection such as swelling, redness, irritation, or drainage, or if you have problems with your vision, or severe pain, burning, or stinging when you use the eye drops.

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.

General

• For seasonal allergic rhinitis, do not use for >2 weeks.26

• For inflammatory ocular disorders, do not discontinue therapy prematurely.1

• When used in fixed combination with tobramycin, do not discontinue prematurely.31

• Reevaluate patient if ocular signs and symptoms fail to improve after 2 days of therapy.1 2 26 31

• Monitor intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients receiving therapy for ≥10 days.1 2 31

Administration

Ophthalmic Administration

Apply topically to the eyes as an ophthalmic suspension.1 2 8 9 10 11 12

In fixed combination with tobramycin, apply topically to the eyes as an ophthalmic suspension.31

Shake suspension vigorously prior to use.1 2 30 31

Avoid contamination of the dropper tip.1 2

Dosage

Available as loteprednol etabonate; dosage expressed in terms of the salt.1 2

Adults

1 drop of a 0.2% suspension in the affected eye(s) 4 times daily.2

1 or 2 drops of a 0.5% suspension in the affected eye(s) 4 times daily.1 8 9 10 11 During initial treatment (within the first week), may increase dosage up to 1 drop every hour.1 When improvement occurs, decrease frequency of application.1 26 30

1 or 2 drops of a 0.5% suspension to the eye(s) undergoing surgery 4 times daily beginning 24 hours after surgery and continuing for 2 weeks after surgery.1 27 28

Loteprednol etabonate and tobramycin ophthalmic suspension: 1 or 2 drops in the affected eye(s) every 4–6 hours.31 During the initial 24–48 hours, dosing may be increased to every 1–2 hours.31 When improvement occurs, decrease frequency of application.31

Storage

Ophthalmic

Upright at 15–25°C.1 2 31 Do not freeze.1 2 31

Excipients in commercially available drug preparations may have clinically important effects in some individuals; consult specific product labeling for details.

Please refer to the ASHP Drug Shortages Resource Center for information on shortages of one or more of these preparations.