There is an alternative in the UK to Restasis

[Gwynneth]

I visited my specialist with a very blurry eye after a gap of several years. He had originally prescribed me Restasis which I got over the internet for a long time,, and then gave up due to many changes of website, and I was worried about what was actually in those little vials! Anyway, apart from my always-there dry eyes, it turned out that I had a nasty inflamed cornea for which I am being treated. However, he told me that there is now a UK product available on the NHS which consists of ciclosporin (the same as Restasis) and which worked so well for me. The product is called - IKERVIS - it is available in Img/ml vials which you use once in each eye at bed time and then discard the remaining fluid. I am delighted so far and wanted to tell all of you who have been/are limping along with over the counter drops. I realise that this won't suit everyone, so please be very careful and do your own research first.

[epicjinx]

How did you obtain this? Getting ikervis and how much did it help with you? I tried asking my optremist and was shot down.

[Gwynneth]

Hi, I was prescribed Ikervis by my consultant eye specialist, it is very new, and I am one of his first patients. However, I had been on Restasis for several years before that ,until it got too difficult and dodgey-sounding to keep getting it on websites. It has to be prescribed by a consultant, is available on the NHS if they think that you are suitable, and actually costs £170 per month's dose. I have found that it is helping after about 6 week's use, I can now read as much as I like without my eyes becoming blurry and dry. Good luck, let me know if I can help some more.

[littlemermaid]

Gwynneth, Is someone charging you? See the NHS price is far lower 0.1% single use eye drops, 30 x 0.3ml=£72.00 http://www.mims.co.uk/drugs/eye/eye-...mation/ikervis (search 'Ikervis NHS price' if link doesn't work)

[caitlinhpierce]

Hi there!

I'm an audio journalist (caitlinhpierce.com) working on a story about the Restasis patent transfer to a Native American tribe so that they could claim sovereign immunity and therefore keep the price high for the drug, so I am looking for people to interview who would suffer from that.

Do you rely on Restasis to be able to accomplish basic tasks? Have you had to make sacrifices to pay for it? How would your life be different if Restasis was available cheaply?

If you are open to telling your story, please let me know. Thank you!

-Caitlin Pierce