Restasis vs. cheaper compound

[RobLIC]

OK, amateur economists: say my insurance will charge me $100 for a month's supply of Restasis, but I can order cyclosporine .05% from Leiter's for 1/3 of that. Is there ANY difference in the efficacy of the two products at all? Thanks.

[ringo]

I would think there would be no difference....if I were you I would even try a higher concentration of the cyclosporine!

I feel this 0.05 just keeps me hooked on it for life without actually doing the job...

Dry eyes in dogs and humans treated with cyclosporine during initial trials were completely resolved in a shorter time with 2 percent cyclosporine drops/ointment. I would even go for compoubding an ointment, as it stays longer on the eye.

But that is just me...you should consult with your doctor if you are planning to use a compounded medication.

[Aaron77]

I'm still waiting here in Canada to get my special restasis order in from the states. In the states: According to this veterenarian optimmune is much cheaper but more potent, not sure how'd you'd be able to get your hands on that stuff though.

Optimmune is cyclosporine 0.2%. It comes in a petrolatum base, like vaseline. Restasis is cyclosporine 0.05%. It comes as a fluid eyedrop.

My insurance company declared that my dry eye is the result of LASIK surgery so they won't cover the cost of Restasis ($100 per month). I'm a veterinarian so I use Optimmune. ($5 per month) It really makes the tears flow. Much better than Restasis ever did. Because of the vaseline-like consistancy I only use it at bedtime. But that seems to work well for me.

Veterinarians have used cyclosporine eyedrops for more than 20 years. The tablets dissolve easily in oils like corn oil. I have animal patients with eyes so dry even Optimmune doesn't work. For them I have cyclosporine in corn oil at 0.5% concentration.

[ringo]

Thank you so much for posting that Aaron!

I had never had a physician (no matter that he is a vetrinarian) confirm my suspicion that a higher concentration of cyclosporine will work much better, and especially if it is applied as an ointment!

All the doctors that i asked about this were trying to convince me that there will be no difference between the different concentrations...

But the patient you quoted is a physician using the animal version of restasis which is 0.2 percent, and having a real improvement in his tear flow, just like the animals he treats.

I wonder why restasis came in such a low concentration....may be there are safety concerns?

I would love to be able to try this so much cheaper and so much more potent version of treatment with cyclosporine.

I guess I will have to order it from the US somehow for my cat

Also, the doctor you quoted claims he can prepare ointment or drops from actual tablets containing cyclosporine? won't the tablets contain other things as well?

Your opinion please?

[LiliS]

Please tell me if you had some side effects from Optimmune,i want to use it myself for my dry eys due to Sogren! i know from a vet friend of mine that veterinary medication is very well done and she used a lot of them on herself too. it seems to me that an ointment is better than the drops,especially applied on eye lids? ( may 2015 ) Hooe you are still here on Dry Zone .,i really don,t k ow what else to do,,.thanks!