Quick couple of Restasis questions

[robster]

The Restasis I ordered finally arrived today and I have a couple of questions:

(1) I've got 3 boxes of the stuff and have been told by the clinician overseeing my use of it that I should store it in the fridge. All the boxes have a tinfoil seal on them under the lid, do I have to store all the boxes in the fridge or just the box that I have removed the tinfoil and opened?

(2) I've read about Restasis stinging on various posts but what I have found is that my right eye(the bad one) is not stinging but is incredibly sore today. It might just be a coincidence but it started to get really sore about 20 minutes after I put a drop of Restasis in it. My left eye(the better one) feels fine after the Restasis. Has anyone else found that Restasis has made there eyes really sore?

When it comes to Restasis I really am a newbie so any help would be gratefully appreciated. Cheers.

[kanon]

Hi! My Restasis is also in boxes with a tinfoil seal under the lid. My dr. did not tell me to store it in the fridge- nor did I read that anywhere else on the package. I'd better go double check cause now I'm nervous! I've just been keeping it on my bedside table. I've had it for about 6 weeks. I started feeling better about 2 weeks ago, but I don't know if it is the Restasis or not since at the same time I also started doxy and acupuncture. I did not have any stinging or soreness from the Restasis.
I hope it works for you!

[robster]

Anyone have anything about storing Restasis in the fridge or the Restasis making my eyes sore? Any advice on this would be great. Thanks.

[jax8it]

Hi Robster,

I don't think they need to be stored in the fridge. My doctor told me to put them in the fridge to make them more soothing when putting the drops in. I did not have any of the side effects. Apparently, the most common is burning. Soreness is probably one as well. My eyes are sore and ache without Restasis.

[robster]

Thanks for that jax8it. I'm pretty sure the Restasis is making my right eye more sore, I'll see how it goes the next few days.

[PotatoCakes]

I think someone on here was actually told NOT to keep Restasis in the fridge. Not sure who it was though. A quick Google turned up this from New York Cataract (I don't know anything about them):
http://www.newyorkcataract.com/pdfs/restasis-facts.pdf

See #3. #5 is interesting too -- I hadn't heard of drops that could not be used with Restasis.

[jenny2008]

it says not to use Endure or Soothe drops ? interesting..never heard that one before.

[robster]

Thanks potatocakes for the link. It says not to use Soothe eyedrops with Restasis I take it that means Clinitas Soothe which is what I have been using along with Restasis!

Does anyone know the reason why you are not supposed to use Clinitas Soothe eydrops along with Restasis?

[PotatoCakes]

Not a clue. I've never seen any reference to not using particular brands before. I wonder if anyone knows anyone at the cataract center

[willwork4tears]

it says not to use Endure or Soothe drops ? interesting..never heard that one before.

Endure and Soothe are unique OTC rewetting drops in that they are both emulsified with oil. Restasis is also made with an oil/water emulsion. I would imagine that whoever wrote that PDF probably thought that if you put an oil emulsion rewetting drop on your eye prior to using Restasis that the rewetting drop would impair absorption of the Restasis. (e.g. You wouldn't rub lotion on your skin prior to applying a medicine like hydrocortisone cream.) This may be true, but there's no reason to say "you can't use Endure or Soothe drops" if you're using Restasis. It would probably be more accurate to say not to use them just prior to using Restasis. Restasis is going to be absorbed or blinked out within a few minutes. So if you'd like to use emulsified eye drops, probably wait 15-30 minutes or so after using the Restasis.

[robster]

Thanks for that I appreciate it.

[PotatoCakes]

Endure and Soothe are unique OTC rewetting drops in that they are both emulsified with oil. ... This may be true, but there's no reason to say "you can't use Endure or Soothe drops" if you're using Restasis. It would probably be more accurate to say not to use them just prior to using Restasis. Restasis is going to be absorbed or blinked out within a few minutes. So if you'd like to use emulsified eye drops, probably wait 15-30 minutes or so after using the Restasis.

This is good information. I'm not familiar with Endure or Soothe but aren't there other drops with oil, as well? Knowing that, those of us who use Restasis, should make sure to read the ingredient list on our eye drops, if we aren't going to wait to use Restasis (although, my physician told me to wait 15 minutes between types of drops regardless of what kind of drops).

[spmcc]

Restasis = Refresh Endura+ cyclosporine 0.5%

I thought there was a third oil-based drop on the market but right now I can't think of any names as possibilities (bad, bad brain).

[glenda]

I find that the only time my eyes burn with restasis is when they are really dry. I have been using restasis for 3 months now and I am very pleased with the results. My eyes feel a lot better. I only use bion tears when they get really dry in the early evening before my last restasis drop or when I rise in the morning before I put in the restasis, as I do not do it first thing.

[robster]

My right eye does not seem to get as sore now when I use Restasis. Not sure if this is due to my right eye getting used to it or that the soreness I was getting initially was just a coincidence. Do get a bit of burning when I put it in. Guess I'll just have to wait and see how it goes as I know I'm not going to see any results from the Restasis for at least a couple of months.