Emedastine Ophthalmic

em-e-DAS-teen

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Emadine

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Therapeutic Class: Ophthalmologic Agent

Pharmacologic Class: Antihistamine

Uses For emedastine

Emedastine ophthalmic solution is used to treat symptoms of the eye caused by allergic conjunctivitis. It works by preventing the effects of a substance called histamine, which is produced in certain cells in your eyes and which causes the allergic reaction.

emedastine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using emedastine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For emedastine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to emedastine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Studies on emedastine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of ophthalmic emedastine in children younger than 3 years of age with use in other age groups.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of ophthalmic emedastine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Pregnancy

	Pregnancy Category	Explanation
All Trimesters	B	Animal studies have revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus, however, there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR animal studies have shown an adverse effect, but adequate studies in pregnant women have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Proper Use of emedastine

Do not wear contact lenses if your eyes are red. If your eyes are not red, contact lenses should be removed before you use emedastine. Also, you should wait at least 10 minutes after using emedastine before putting the contact lenses back in.

To use:

• First, wash your hands. Tilt the head back and, pressing your finger gently on the skin just beneath the lower eyelid, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to make a space. Drop the medicine into this space. Let go of the eyelid and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the medicine to be absorbed by the eye.


• If you think you did not get the drop of medicine into your eye properly, use another drop.


• To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). Also, keep the container tightly closed.

Dosing

The dose of emedastine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of emedastine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For ophthalmic dosage form (eye drops):
  
  • For eye allergy:
    
    • Adults and children 3 years of age and older—Use one drop in the affected eye one to four times a day.
    
    
    • Children younger than 3 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    
    
  
  

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of emedastine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Do not refrigerate. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Precautions While Using emedastine

If your symptoms do not improve or if your condition becomes worse, check with your doctor.

emedastine Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

• Abnormal dreams


• blurred vision or other change in vision


• eye redness, irritation, or pain


• tearing, discomfort, or other eye irritation not present before therapy or becoming worse during therapy


• weakness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

• Headache

Less common

• Bad taste


• burning or stinging of the eye


• dry eye


• feeling of something in the eye


• itching


• skin rash


• stuffy or runny nose

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: emedastine Ophthalmic side effects (in more detail)

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More emedastine Ophthalmic resources

• Emedastine Ophthalmic Side Effects (in more detail)
• Emedastine Ophthalmic Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Emedastine Ophthalmic Support Group
• 0 Reviews for Emedastine Ophthalmic - Add your own review/rating

• emedastine ophthalmic Concise Consumer Information (Cerner Multum)


• Emadine Prescribing Information (FDA)


• Emadine Monograph (AHFS DI)


• Emadine Drops MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare emedastine Ophthalmic with other medications

• Conjunctivitis, Allergic