Can Restasis also damage the eyes?

[katy]

I'm currently using Restasis (since about 1 1/2 month, with a break of a couple weeks in between) but it doesn't seem to help.
I feel it even got worse from using Restasis. My eyes are extremely red (full of red blood vessels) and itching.
Also the color of the "white" (beneath the red vessels) has changed since I've been using Restasis. Now it's like a dirty white/ yellow..
It's hard to describe but the eyes just don't look healthy at all!

Is that a common side effect of Restasis?

I don't know whether I should stop using Restasis or if I should continue...

What do you recommend?

I'd be very thankful for any advice,
Katy

[calli66]

I tried Restasis multiple times and for months and months, always hoping that it would help. Every eye doctor I ever went to for dry eyes gave me a prescription for it. Each time, my eyes suffered---burning, more irritation, itching---like you're describing. My vision even got worse---my astigmatism especially. Weird, actually. The more I used Restasis, the more times I got Blepharitis.

So my experience was bad---my doctor thinks I'm allergic to it---probably so. I just can't help but think that if the "medicine" produces symptoms that are worse than the original condition, how can that be good?

You'll definitely hear both sides of this---for some people, Restasis really helps. It comes down to a personal decision, I think. You finally "get the message" that it's not helping and then you quit----or not. Or you try again next year, like me. No doctor would ever admit to me that it created more problems for some patients. I don't think the doctors really know----they're in the same position you're in---hoping it'll help if you use it long enough.

C
(Sjogren's dry eyes)

[dryasadesert]

it could be the vehicle (castor oil), not the cyclosporine itself. The castor oil is an irritant for some people. Your doctor can have cyclosporine compounded into a different vehicle at Leiters. I have been using the reformulation for a few days and it seems to be much more tolerable.

I could only ever use the restasis 1x day (at night) because of redness and burning that would persist for hours.

[calli66]

I didn't know you could have cyclosporin specially formulated without the castor oil---I agree--that might be the problem. However, I'm doing OK now (no Restasis), and I don't feel like getting "tempted" again by cyclosporin. Let us know how the Leiter's formulation works for you in comparison with Restasis.

C

[katy]

Thanks a lot for your replies!

I heard the itching/ burning etc will go away after using Restasis for awhile. But I wonder how long it takes until these negative 'side effects' will go away. I personally don't really believe they will go away...but I think I read (in this forum) that some people experienced these side effects only for a certain time..
What do you think?

I think it's pretty likely that I'm allergic to the castor oil..
What exactly does Leiter's formulation mean? So that I can tell me pharmacist/ doctor to mix/ prescribe it (I live in Germany and don't think they are familiar with the the expression "Leiter"..)

Thank you so much for your great help!

[dryasadesert]

The burning and itching never went away for me and I was on it for 7 months. Using it only at night was somewhat tolerable because your eyes are closed, but the day was always a problem.

Leiters Pharmacy is just a compounding pharmacy in California. I fly to see Dr. Latkany every month or so and he called them to have it compounded in a different vehicle. I am not exactly sure what the formulation was, but it definitely excludes castor oil

[katy]

@dryasdesert:
Thanks for the info! Is it somehow possible that you find out what the exact formulation was that was used instead of the Castor oil? That would be amazing.

But it still didn't work for you ? How are your eyes doing now?

[dryasadesert]

I am trying to get the formulation...difficulty getting in touch with the appropriate people at the pharmacy.

My eyes are definitely less irritated with this formulation than traditional restasis. I was also just diagnosed with SLK that I will need surgery for

[katy]

@dryasdesert:
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your effort.

[GeorgeT]

dryasdesert,

Have you thought about azasite?
I could not tolerate restatis more than one drop/day at night for more than a year. Now I am still using one drop in the morning with better results.
I used to have zero tear production on both eyes and was diagnosed with MGD and ocular rosacea.
Does Dr. Latkany prescribe azasite ? Any idea?

All best !


George

[bavaria]

Restasis side effects solved

I had this negative side effects, too. So, I first limited the administration of Restasis to every second day. But from time to time I still had some kind of eye aches. The solution I've found together with my doctor at the eye hospital: I used a cortisone for about 4 weeks once a day and then switched to restatis. Most of the problems had disappeared:-)

Currently I'm using restasis once a days for 7 consecutive days and for the next 5-7 days autologous serum drops. Then again restasis etc. I'm tolerating this treatment very well since 3 months with some improvements .