Pataday vs. Bepreve for allergies

[RobLIC]

Allergy people: anyone have feelings on one vs the other of these? Both seem to have BAK. Pataday is 1x daily, Bepreve is 2x. Otherwise, pros and cons?Also wondering about long-term use ... Thanks! Rob

[dave25]

I have used Pataday for about 8 months now with pretty good results. This is the only drop I use that has a preservative in it. My eyes have definitely improved since I stopped using so many preservatives in my daily routine.

I couldn't tell you much about Bepreve, I have never heard of this drop before. Is it new? But just based on the fact that Pataday is used only once a day I would be inclined to go with that one.

It's funny to me how they can make an allergy drop yet put a preservative in it that might cause allergies. I would actually pay more for a preservative free allergy drop, but I don't think one is available yet.

[RobLIC]

Bepreve is relatively new in the U.S., but was around in Japan for seven or eight years before. My doc in NY says the one Pataday drop lasts about 14 hrs. I agree, it's kind of absurd they don't seem to sell a preservative free allergy drop. ...

[dave25]

Bepreve is relatively new in the U.S., but was around in Japan for seven or eight years before. My doc in NY says the one Pataday drop lasts about 14 hrs. I agree, it's kind of absurd they don't seem to sell a preservative free allergy drop. ...

I guess if preservatives don't bother you too much then having an allergy drop that lasts 24 hours might be more beneficial. I never heard that Pataday lasts only 14 hours, but that is good to know. I have also tried Elestat, Pataday, and Zaditor, and did not notice much of a difference between any of them except Zaditor is by far the cheapest and an OTC medication.

[stella]

Zaditan is also available unpreserved --in some places
Chromadoses -- unpreserved single unit are also available in France OTC

[RobLIC]

Thanks Stella. Chromadoses is the coolest name for a medicine I've heard in a long time Sounds like something that might change your gender if you took it for long enough ...

[gz9gjg]

I suspect we are too worried about the preservatives in once-a-day prescription drops like Pataday. I avoid wetting drops with BAK because I use them several times each day.

I only use Pataday once a day and it has not caused me any problems.

[dave25]

I suspect we are too worried about the preservatives in once-a-day prescription drops like Pataday. I avoid wetting drops with BAK because I use them several times each day.

I only use Pataday once a day and it has not caused me any problems.

I agree with you. I think using a preservative drop once or twice a day is not too bad, but I was using prescription eye drops that had BAK in them like 5 times a day. I didn't think anything of it for a while, but I did notice quite a big improvement when I cut down from 5x per day to 1x per day.

[Scout]

I used Zaditor prescription allergy drops several years ago and found them to be very effective at managing my symptoms. That was the good news.

The bad news was that they were so good at managing my symptoms that I gradually started using them daily because when I wasn't using them, all my symptoms returned. When I used them my eyes felt great. Without them, I felt miserable.

By the time I realized (by reading all the warnings here and in the medical literature) that eye drops with BAK used could (over time) increase ocular allergies and inflammation, I had been using them daily for over two years.

Prior to using the drops, I had many good eye days without using the allergy drops. After using them for over two years, I had no good days without using the drops. In my opinion, the medication that started out helping my eyes, eventually made them worse.

I decided to quit cold turkey and have never looked back. I had about 6 weeks of misery while my eyes readjusted. I started using cold compresses daily and light wetting drops to wash out the allergens.

But what helped me the most was ridding my life of offending allergens and irritants. Soaps, fragrances, shampoos, makeup, laundry soaps, perfumes, lotions. I have changed many of my products and pay close attention to any new fragrances or products that are introduced in my environment.

Now (two years later)I have mostly good days.

Scout


PS: There are no allergy eye drops available in the US without preservatives. Zaditor is available in Europe (called Zaditen there) without preservatives.

[RobLIC]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Scout, you really make me wonder I should be ordering allergy drops from someone in Europe ... I know I'm sensitive to BAK from other drops I've used. My allergies are coming out on top of MGD that's still pretty bad, and it's a lousy combo.

[stella]

RobLic
I spelt cromodoses wrongly --- no "h" in it (so no danger of gender change!)
It is sodium cromoglicate which is the most commonly used anti allergy drop in GB but has BAK in it over here
The french are more enlightened in that respect

[JAH1973]

Bepreve?

Recently, a local doctor mentioned obtaining a product called either Bereve or Bepreve by Ista/Bauch & Laumb to use for my eyes. It is not readily available locally, but can be ordered. Please advise any knowledge and/or experience that you may have using it. I would love to learn more.

Thanks in advance!

Julie

[RobLIC]

Bepreve is just an allergy drop. It was popular in Japan for many years before coming here. Some doctors like it, but most seem to think Pataday is more effective and/or practical since Pataday only needs to be taken once a day. I've used both, and Bepreve gives a nasty nickel-tasting aftertaste about 5 minutes after you take it. But it does work.

[tinkerbelle04]

My doc just prescribed Bepreve for me. I think it is going to be expensive, even with insurance. I haven't filled it yet.

[jswill100]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I wonder, since you guys seem to have eye allergies, how do your allergies manifest themselves? I just wrote out a thread detailing my condition and hoping for feedback from allergy sufferers:

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...9644#post59644

Basic question is - can eye allergies feel like dry/irritated eyes, without any kind of itching at all? I get other allergies and it normally shows up as itchy nose/eyes (with nose being the major part), but am starting to think I have a slight allergy causing irritated eyes. Any comments would be most appreciated.