Question about Restasis?

[Mawsky]

Hi, we've all heard the info on Restasis that states it has not been shown to increase tears production in people using steroid eye drops, or those with punctual plugs. So here is my most obvious question, if you have punctual plugs or surgical occlusion will the Restasis not work? It's such an odd statement from them, and it really doesn't make any sense. Just wondering what your thoughts were on this?

[PRK]

Restasis is an immunosuppressant, so it works by reducing inflammation on the surface of the eye and around the lacrimal ducts so that more tears can flow. They're not saying the Restasis won’t work if you have plugs or are on a steroid they’re just saying it probably it’s going to help any. Steroid drops work the same ways as Restasis by reducing inflammation, they accomplish the task faster but aren’t safe to take long term. There are lots of people with plugs that are also on Restasis so don’t let this deter you from trying both. I personally rinse my eyes with some Unisol and put in preservative free Theratears 15 minutes after putting in Restasis since that’s how long it’s supposed to take for the drops to do there thing and the Theratears helps get rid of the burning.

EFFECT OF INFLAMMATION ON LACRIMAL GLAND FUNCTION


"Topical cyclosporine A was shown to suppress ocular inflammation and restore tear production in severe cases of KCS (Stevenson, Tauber and Reis, 2000) and recently received FDA approval. The effect of neutralizing inflammatory cytokines is discussed later."

[msny]

Hi, we've all heard the info on Restasis that states it has not been shown to increase tears production in people using steroid eye drops, or those with punctual plugs. So here is my most obvious question, if you have punctual plugs or surgical occlusion will the Restasis not work? It's such an odd statement from them, and it really doesn't make any sense. Just wondering what your thoughts were on this?

I have had both the plugs and using Restasis now for about 5 years.

I've run some tests on myself with this very issue in mind.
What I've found for me anyways is, that Dwelle works as good
as Restasis , BUT I have put it in 5 times a day vs 2 times.

So for me its a matter of convenience, not it it works or not..

[indrep]

msny
A good read for Restasis info is www.fdarestasisinfo.org. Restasis was approved on its fifth try and according to the FDA reviewers only showed significant improvement in those patients with plugs. I think I now know how the wording is approved for advertising purposes. The end point of success for Restasis was improving patients Schirmer scores to 10+. The patients with plugs before starting Restasis were excluded because their scores were already above 10. In the fifth attempt for approval patients could have plugs inserted after starting Restasis. So the advertising is legal when it says "in those patients who already have plugs Restasis didn't prove to be beneficial". Just something to ponder, I am not sure my theory is correct it just seems to make sense.

[NeedMyEyes]

Restasis and steroids

I just wanted to comment on this:

When I originally began to have symptoms - burning, tired eyes at the end of the day, etc. I went to an optometrist who gave me Azasite and told me to do warm compresses then come back in a month.

At the end of the month, I saw her again and I said "please please do something - this is not working", so she put me on Tobradex and Restasis. That's when all my REAL problems started.

At that point I started to get horrible redness, foreign body sensation at night, and severe severe dryness.

It turns out it was the steroids - they cause dryness of the mucous membranes and they also prevent Restasis from working. I was on the Tobradex for 1.5 months and kept taking it because I thought it was doing something even though my symptoms were worse.

Finally, when I quit taking the Tobradex, there was a gush of tears the week after I stopped taking it. There were so many tears that I had to carry around a tissue everywhere I went so that I could see. But my eyes felt great during this time and I didn't use any artificial tears.

Then, somehow I wound up on another steroid and, of course, the tears stopped again.

I stopped them and went to the optometrist 1 week later and had Schirmers of 30+ and 30+ in each eye.

I was taking Restasis the entire time - so I *think* Restasis was the cause of the high Schirmers. I can also tell you that I had a Schirmers of 3 and 3 when I was taking the steroids.

So remember that steroids and tears don't mix (and I think steroids and Restasis also don't mix).

NME

[msny]

msny
A good read for Restasis info is www.fdarestasisinfo.org. Restasis was approved on its fifth try and according to the FDA reviewers only showed significant improvement in those patients with plugs. I think I now know how the wording is approved for advertising purposes. The end point of success for Restasis was improving patients Schirmer scores to 10+. The patients with plugs before starting Restasis were excluded because their scores were already above 10. In the fifth attempt for approval patients could have plugs inserted after starting Restasis. So the advertising is legal when it says "in those patients who already have plugs Restasis didn't prove to be beneficial". Just something to ponder, I am not sure my theory is correct it just seems to make sense.

Thanks, i tried that link, and it seems to be broken.

[indrep]

http://www.fdarestasisdata.org/

Sorry for the incorrect address.

[manitobaskyline]

I have plugs in all 4 lids and restatis has helped me tremendously.