Olopatadine

Olopatadine is a prescription medication that comes in an eye drop form and a nasal spray. The eye drop is used to treat ocular (eye) itching associated with eye allergies. The nasal spray is used to treat seasonal nasal allergy symptoms, such as runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and nasal itching.

Olopatadine belongs to a group of drugs called antihistamines. It works by blocking the release of histamine from certain cells in the body.

This medication comes in the form of an eye drop and a nasal spray. The eye drops are used either once or twice daily. The nasal spray is usually used twice daily.

Common side effects of olopatadine eye drops includes cold-like symptoms and pharyngitis (sore throat).

Common side effects of olopatadine nasal spray includes headache and bitter taste.

Olopatadine is a prescription eye drop used to treat ocular (eye) itching associated with eye allergies.

Olopatadine is also a prescription nasal spray used to treat seasonal nasal allergy symptoms, such as runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and nasal itching.

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

Olopatadine may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Pataday

• Patanase

• Patanol

• Pazeo

Olopatadine eye drops can cause side effects including:

• headache
• blurred vision
• eye burning or stinging
• dry eyes
• swollen eye lids
• itching of the eye lids
• cold-like symptoms
• pharyngitis (sore throat)

Olopatadine nasal spray can cause side effects including:

• nosebleed
• headache
• throat pain
• bad or bitter taste
• sores in the nose
• hole in nasal septum

Tell your doctor if any side effect is bothersome or does not go away.

This is not a complete list of olopatadine side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

No olopatadine drug interactions have been identified, however, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Avoid alcohol or other medications that make you sleepy while taking olopatadine nasal spray.
 

Do not use olopatadine if you are allergic to any ingredient in it.

Olopatadine Eye Drops

Do not wear contact lenses if your eyes are red. Olopatadine should not be used to treat contact lens-related irritation, or redness.

The preservative in olopatadine, benzalkonium chloride, may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Patients who wear soft contact lenses and whose eyes are not red should wait at least ten minutes after instilling olopatadine before inserting contact lenses.

Do not allow dropper tip to contact your eye or any other surface.

Olopatadine Nasal Spray

This medication may cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.

Avoid using alcohol or other medications that make you sleepy.

Medicines 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 olopatadine there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.
 

Before using olopatadine, tell your doctor:

• if you are allergic to olopatadine or any other medicine
• if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

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. It is not known if olopatadine will harm your unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if olopatadine is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

Use olopatadine exactly as prescribed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Eye Drops

To instill the eye drops, follow these steps:

• Wash your hands using soap and water.
• Make sure the dropper tip is not chipped or cracked.
• Do not allow dropper tip to contact your eye or any other surface.
• Tilt your head back, pull down the lower lid of your eye with your index finger to form a pocket.
• While looking up, gently squeeze the dropper so that a single drop falls into the pocket made by the lower eyelid. Remove your index finger from the lower eyelid.
• Close your eye for 2 to 3 minutes without blinking or squeezing your eyelids, and tilt your head down as though looking at the floor.
• Place a finger on the tear duct and apply gentle pressure.
• Wipe any excess liquid from your face with a tissue.
• If you are to use more than one drop in the same eye, wait at least 5 minutes before instilling the next drop.
• Replace and tighten the cap on the dropper bottle. Do not wipe or rinse the dropper tip. Keep bottle tightly closed when not in use.
• Wash your hands to remove any medication.

Nasal Spray

• Remove the blue plastic overcap.
• Hold the bottle and press down on the shoulders of the white nasal applicator with your forefinger and middle finger.
• Support the bottom (base) of the bottle with your thumb while you do this. Prime the bottle five times or until you see a fine mist come out of the nasal spray applicator. After you start using a bottle of olopatadine nasal spray, if you do not use it for more than seven days, you will need to prime the pump again two times before use.
• Gently blow your nose to clear the nostrils. Close one nostril. With your head tipped down (chin toward chest), place the nasal applicator 1/4 to 1/2 inch into a nostril. Hold the medicine bottle upright with the nasal applicator tip aimed toward the cheek side of the nose, away from the center of the nose.
• Breathe in gently through your nose. While breathing in press firmly and quickly on the applicator to release the spray.
• Breathe out through your mouth. Do not tip your head back or blow your nose right after using olopatadine nasal spray. This may cause you to get a bitter taste in your mouth.
• Change between the nostrils (alternate). Spray two sprays in each nostril.
• Wipe the nasal applicator with a clean tissue and replace the blue plastic overcap. 
• This nasal device should be discarded after the labeled number of sprays (240) or after the expiration date on the medicine label or box.
• Do not take extra doses or stop taking olopatadine nasal spray without talking with your doctor.

Cleaning

• If the nasal applicator becomes clogged, do not attempt to clear it using a pointed object. 
• To clean the nasal applicator, remove the plastic cap and then gently pull upwards to free the nasal applicator. 
• With the nasal applicator pointing downwards, wash by running warm tap water into the nasal applicator for about one minute. 
• Shake the applicator to remove any water and put the applicator back on the bottle.
• Prime by spraying two (2) times or until you see a fine mist.
• Repeat the above steps if needed.

Eye Drop

The recommended dose is one drop in each affected eye one or two times per day.

Nasal Spray

The recommended dose for adults and children 12 years and older is 2 sprays per nostril per day.

The recommended dose for children 6 to 11 years of age is 1 spray per nostril twice daily.

If you use too much olopatadine or if someone accidentally takes it by mouth, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Store this medication at temperatures between 39°F and 77°F (4°C-25°C).

Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.