Prednisolone Ophthalmic

Prednisolone Ophthalmic is a prescription medication used for the treatment of conjunctivitis and other inflammatory conditions of the eyes. 

• Prednisolone Ophthalmic is available under the following different brand names: Pred Forte, Pred Mild, Inflamase Mild, Omnipred, Econopred Plus, Inflamase Forte

Common side effects of Prednisolone Ophthalmic include:

• mild stinging, burning, or irritation in the eyes.

Serious side effects of Prednisolone Ophthalmic include:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain, or seeing halos around lights;
• small white or yellow patches on the surface of the eye;
• pain behind the eyes; or
• signs of eye infection--swelling, redness, severe discomfort, crusting, or drainage.

Rare side effects of Prednisolone Ophthalmic include:

• none

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors;
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheartedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult and pediatric dosage

Ophthalmic suspension

• 0.12%
• 1%

Ophthalmic solution

• 0.11%
• 0.9%
• 1%

Ophthalmic Inflammatory Conditions

Adult and pediatric dosage

• 1-2 drops of 1% solution twice daily or four times daily (maybe more frequent during the initial 24-48 hours)

Conjunctivitis

Adult and pediatric dosage

• 1-2 drops of 1% solution twice daily or four times daily (maybe more frequent during the initial 24-48 hours)

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Prednisolone Ophthalmic has no noted severe interactions with any other drugs.
• Prednisolone Ophthalmic has no noted serious interactions with any other drugs.
• Prednisolone Ophthalmic has no noted moderate interactions with any other drugs.
• Prednisolone Ophthalmic has no noted minor interactions with any other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity
• Acute untreated purulent ocular infections, in most viral diseases of cornea and conjunctiva including epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, and varicella, and also in mycobacterial infection of the eye and fungal diseases of ocular structures

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Prednisolone Ophthalmic?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Prednisolone Ophthalmic?”

Cautions

• Use ocular steroids cautiously
• Prolonged use of corticosteroids may result in posterior subcapsular cataract formation and may increase intraocular pressure in susceptible individuals, resulting in glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, defects in visual acuity and fields of vision
• Prolonged use may also suppress the host immune response and thus increase the hazard of secondary ocular infections
• Routinely monitor intraocular pressure if this product is used for 10 days or longer
• Use caution in the presence of glaucoma; frequently check intraocular pressure
• Various ocular diseases and long-term use of topical corticosteroids have been known to cause corneal and scleral thinning
• Use of topical corticosteroids in the presence of thin corneal or scleral tissue may lead to perforation
• Acute purulent infections of the eye may be masked or activity enhanced by the presence of corticosteroid medication
• The use of steroids after cataract surgery may delay healing and increase the incidence of bleb formation
• Use of ocular steroids may prolong the course and may exacerbate the severity of many viral infections of the eye (including herpes simplex)
• Employment of a corticosteroid medication in the treatment of patients with a history of herpes simplex requires great caution; frequent slit lamp microscopy is recommended
• Suspension formulation contains sodium bisulfite, a sulfite that may cause allergic-type reactions, including anaphylactic symptoms and life-threatening or less severe asthmatic episodes in certain susceptible people
• The overall prevalence of sulfite sensitivity in the general population is unknown and probably low; sulfite sensitivity is seen more frequently in asthmatic than in non-asthmatic people
• The initial prescription and renewal of medication order beyond 20 milliliters of suspension should be made by a physician only after examination of the patient with the aid of magnification, such as slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and, where appropriate, fluorescein staining; if signs and symptoms fail to improve after 2 days, the patient should be re-evaluated
• As fungal infections of the cornea are particularly prone to develop coincidentally with long-term local corticosteroid applications, fungal invasion should be suspected in any persistent corneal ulceration where a corticosteroid has been used or is in use; fungal cultures should be taken when appropriately

Pregnancy & Lactation

• Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks during pregnancy
• Lactation
  • Not known if distributed in milk