Eysuvis side effects: What you should know

Eysuvis can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Eye pain when putting Eysuvis drops in the eye was a common side effect in the drug’s clinical trials.

Mild side effects can occur with Eysuvis use. This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to the drug’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects that have been reported with Eysuvis include:

• eye pain when putting Eysuvis drops in your eye
• eye infection (see “Side effect specifics” for details)

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking Eysuvis and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.

Eysuvis may cause serious side effects. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to the Eysuvis prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects during Eysuvis treatment, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported and their symptoms include:

• cataracts may include symptoms such as:
  • halo effect around lights
  • blurry vision
  • difficulty seeing at night
• thinning or tearing of the outer layer of the eye, which may cause symptoms such as:
  • light sensitivity
  • worsening vision
• increased eye pressure (see “Side effect specifics” to learn more)

ALLERGIC REACTION

For some people, Eysuvis can cause an allergic reaction. But this side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.

In general, symptoms of an allergic reaction can be mild or serious. You can learn more about possible symptoms in this article.

Ways to manage

For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Eysuvis, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Eysuvis may cause several side effects. Here are some frequently asked questions about the drug’s side effects and their answers.

Can Eysuvis cause long-term side effects?

It’s possible. Eysuvis is a corticosteroid eye drop that doctors use to treat inflammation in the eye. The long-term use of corticosteroid eye drops has shown to increase the risk of certain side effects. Some of these effects can last for a long time or may require long-term treatment. The side effects include:

• increased eye pressure, which can lead to glaucoma
• thinning or tearing of the eye’s outer layer
• eye infections
• cataracts

To learn more about increased eye pressure and eye infections, see the “Side effect specifics” section below.

Due to these risks, Eysuvis is FDA-approved for short-term use only. You should not use Eysuvis for longer than 2 weeks. In addition, your doctor will check your eyes each time they renew your Eysuvis prescription. For information about the recommended dosage of Eysuvis, you can read this article.

Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about using Eysuvis long term.

How do the side effects of Eysuvis vs. Lotemax compare?

Eysuvis and Lotemax contain the same active ingredient (loteprednol) and have similar side effects. To learn about the side effects of Lotemax, you can read this article or refer to the drug’s prescribing information.

Both medications are prescribed for use in the eye to reduce inflammation. However, Lotemax is approved to treat pain or inflammation after eye surgery and other eye conditions, such as allergies. Eysuvis is approved to treat inflammation caused by dry eye disease.

To learn more about side effects with Eysuvis versus Lotemax, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Learn more about some of the side effects that Eysuvis may cause. To find out how often side effects occurred in clinical trials, see the prescribing information for Eysuvis.

Eye infection

The long-term use of corticosteroid eye drops has shown to increase the risk of eye infections. This is because corticosteroids can lower your body’s ability to fight an infection. The active ingredient in Eysuvis is a corticosteroid. Some people using Eysuvis in clinicaltrials developed an eye infection, but this side effect is rare.

Infections that develop in the eye can be bacterial, fungal, or viral. Some symptoms of any eye infection may include:

• eye pain
• eye redness
• itchy eyes
• vision changes
• green or yellow discharge from the eye

What you can do

To help decrease the risk of an eye infection, wash your hands before and after you use Eysuvis. Do not touch the tip of the container with your hands, eyes, or any other surface. This helps prevent germs such as bacteria from spreading to the medication or your eye. Be sure to put the cap back on the bottle after each use.

Talk with your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of an eye infection. If you have an infection, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat it. Your doctor will likely recommend stopping Eysuvis until your infection is gone.

In addition, Eysuvis treatment can make an existing eye infection worse. For this reason, your doctor will likely want to treat any eye infections before prescribing Eysuvis.

Increased eye pressure

When used long-term, Eysuvis may increase pressure inside the eye. The medical term for this is high intraocular pressure (IOP). With high IOP, the fluid inside your eye puts too much pressure on the surface of your eye. High IOP can result in glaucoma. There were no reports of high IOP in clinical trials of Eysuvis. However, it’s still possible because of how the drug works.

Glaucoma typically doesn’t cause symptoms. And since Eysuvis is used short term, it’s unlikely you would notice symptoms during use. But if you already have glaucoma and use Eysuvis, it’s possible you could develop severe (acute) glaucoma. Acute closed-angle glaucoma (also called narrow-angle glaucoma) symptoms include:

• sudden vision changes
• nausea or vomiting
• severe eye pain
• seeing colored rings around lights

What you can do

If you experience any of the above symptoms, call 911 or your local emergency number, or have someone take you to an emergency department right away. If left untreated, glaucoma can damage your optic nerve and lead to serious complications, including vision loss. It’s important to seek treatment for glaucoma immediately to help prevent vision loss.

Due to this risk, your doctor will check your IOP each time they renew your Eysuvis prescription.

Tell your doctor if you have any eye problems, including glaucoma, before using Eysuvis. They may recommend a different treatment for your dry eye symptoms.

Below is important information you should consider before taking Eysuvis.

Other precautions

Before taking Eysuvis, discuss your health history with your doctor. Eysuvis may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. Be sure to talk with your doctor if any of the following apply to you:

• cataracts
• glaucoma
• active eye infection
• previous allergic reaction to Eysuvis or a similar drug
• pregnancy
• breastfeeding

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.