Lotemax

Lotemax is a prescription medication used to treat eye inflammation caused by surgery, infection, and other conditions. Lotemax is also used to treat allergic conjunctivitis (red, itchy eyes from allergies). Lotemax belongs to the group of drugs called corticosteroids, which help to inhibit the inflammatory response.

Lotemax comes in several forms. The gel and ointment are only approved to treat inflammation and reduce pain after eye surgery, whereas the eye drop form is approved for post surgical pain as well as other inflammatory eye conditions including infection, and allergies.

Common side effects of Lotemax include blurred vision or other change in vision, redness or swelling of the eye, sensitivity of the eyes to light, swelling of the membrane covering the white part of the eye.

Lotemax is a prescription medication used to treat eye pain, redness, and swelling caused by certain eye problems or eye surgery. It is also used to temporarily treat itching of the eye caused by a condition known as seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Lotemax. See “Lotemax Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Lotemax include the following:

• eye inflammation

• eye pain

• foreign body sensation

This is not a complete list of Lotemax side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Serious side effects have been reported with Lotemax including the following:

• Intraocular Pressure Increase. Prolonged use of corticosteroids, including Lotemax, may result in glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, defects in visual acuity, and fields of vision.

• Cataracts. Use of corticosteroids may result in posterior subcapsular cataract formation.

• Delayed Healing. The use of steroids after cataract surgery may delay healing and increase the chance of bleb formation.

• Bacterial Infections. Use of corticosteroids may suppress the host response therefore increasing the risk of secondary eye infections.

• Viral Infections. Using corticosteroids in the treatment of patients with a history of herpes simplex requires great caution. The use of ocular steroids may prolong the duration and increase the severity of many viral infection of the eye, including herpes simplex.

• Fungal Infections. With long term local steroid application, fungal infections of the eye may develop.

Patients should not wear contact lenses during their course of therapy with Lotemax.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Lotemax, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking Lotemax, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Lotemax or to any of its ingredients

• have glaucoma

• have a disease causing thinning of the cornea or sclera

• have bacterial and/or viral infections, especially herpes simplex

• are pregnant or plan to be pregnant

• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

In animal studies, pregnant animals were given Lotemax and some babies were born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweighs the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Lotemax has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Lotemax, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Administer Lotemax exactly as prescribed.

Lotemax comes in ointment, suspension, and gel form and is applied four times a day.

• For the gel, invert the closed bottle and shake once to fill tip before instilling drops.
• For the ointment, do not touch the eyelid or surrounding areas with the tip of the tube. The cap should remain on the tube when not in use.
• For the suspension, shake vigorously before using.

Do not apply Lotemax more than four times per day.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The recommended dose of Lotemax is:

• Ointment: Apply a small amount (approximately ½ inch ribbon) into the conjunctival sac(s) four times daily beginning 24 hours after surgery and continuing throughout the first 2 weeks of the post-operative period.

• Suspension: SHAKE VIGOROUSLY BEFORE USING. 

  • Steroid Responsive Disease Treatment: Apply one to two drops of Lotemax into the conjunctival sac of the affected eye four times daily. During the initial treatment within the first week, the dosing may be increased, up to 1 drop every hour, if necessary. Care should be taken not to discontinue therapy prematurely. If signs and symptoms fail to improve after two days, the patient should be re-evaluated.

  • Post-Operative Inflammation: Apply one to two drops of Lotemax into the conjunctival sac of the operated eye four times daily beginning 24 hours after surgery and continuing throughout the first 2 weeks of the post-operative period.

• Gel: Apply one to two drops of Lotemax gel into the conjunctival sac of the affected eye four times daily beginning the day after surgery and continuing throughout the first 2 weeks of the post-operative period.

If you instill too much Lotemax, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store Lotemax upright at 15°-25°C (59°-77°F).
• Do not freeze.
• Keep out of reach of children.

This page was written by Kacie Black, PharmD Candidate 2020 | UT Austin College of Pharmacy