pharmachologic effect
Why is the drug prescribed? Dexamethasone is a glucocorticosteroid hormone that is used in ophthalmology as an antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and antiexudative agent. The active component of the drug helps stabilize cell membranes and reduces the permeability of the vascular wall. The antiexudative (decongestant) effect is associated with the stabilization of the membrane membrane of lysosomes.
After instillation, dexamethasone can penetrate through the cornea into the fluid of the anterior chamber of the eyeball, even through intact epithelial cover. The drug has indications and contraindications
Mode of application
To find out how much to drip the hormonal drug, read the instructions for use.
Children over 12 years old and adults:
- for chronic inflammatory changes, Dexamethasone should be instilled twice a day for a month;
- for acute inflammation, use 1-2 drops of the medicine, instill it 4-5 times a day only in the first two days, and after that 3-4 times for several more days;
- in case of injury or after surgery, the drug is instilled 2-4 times a day in a dose of 1-2 drops, the duration, depending on the intensity and severity of inflammation, is 2-4 weeks.
For children aged 6-12 years, the drug is prescribed for allergies and inflammation, 1 drop 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days. If longer use is required, it is necessary to first perform a fluorescein test to ensure the integrity of the corneal integumentary epithelium.
Before instillation, the bottle should be shaken so that the substance is evenly distributed in the solution.
DEXAMETHASONE (drops)
Dexamethasone.
At the pharmacy I took the drops that were offered. As a result, I bought Dexamethasone eye drops from the Belarusian company Belmedpreparaty. This company is already well known to me, I have already bought medications from Belmedpreparata and even wrote reviews about them (I had Allochol from Belmedpreparata). Good manufacturer, I trust him.
The drops are placed in a cardboard box; the name of the drug, the name of the manufacturer, and the volume of the drug are indicated on it.
Dexamethasone is a hormonal drop, a glucocorticosteroid. Therefore, you should treat Dexamethasone with caution, as with any hormonal medicine. Of course, it is better to use it after consultation with a competent ophthalmologist.
Many people have probably used ointments for skin diseases with a hormonal composition, and you have noticed that hormonal ointments quickly help. Similarly, Dexamethasone hormonal drops help quite quickly.
The box contains information about the composition. It is indicated that the drops are dispensed with a doctor's prescription. Fortunately, they are still sold without a prescription, I really hope that you won’t have to run to the doctor for a prescription for these eye drops. Otherwise, with the dispensing of prescription drugs, in my opinion, it’s too much. Taking into account the fact that in order to get a prescription you need to spend a lot of time, and even money, on the appointment.
By the way, we made a mistake before and put these drops in the refrigerator. Then the pharmacy employee suggested, and they themselves read, that the drops should be stored at room temperature. So there is no need to put eye drops in the refrigerator! Here on one of the sides of the box is detailed information about the manufacturer. The Belmedpreparaty company is located in Minsk.
Since the drops are hormonal, they cannot be used for a long time. There are eye drops for continuous daily use, but Dexamethasone is a completely different story. For inflammation (conjunctevitis, iridocyclitis), we drip one drop six times a day in the first two days of treatment. Usually within two days it becomes much better. The eyes stop itching and itching, the redness decreases or goes away. Then for another four days we drip three four times a day. But this is our scheme. Perhaps your doctor will advise you on a completely different option for using drops. The instructions say that it is sometimes recommended to use drops for up to a month, but fortunately I do not have such experience.
Eye drops are usually very expensive. I haven’t bought Dexametzaone for a while and was very surprised that these drops cost only 28 rubles.
Perhaps the price is low because this medicine is Belarusian. And medicines from Belarus are usually not expensive, but the quality is good. And perhaps the low price is due to the fact that this manufacturer turned out to have a glass bottle in the drops.
I haven’t seen anything like this for a long time, more often now it’s drops in a soft plastic bottle, immediately with a dropper. This packaging is already familiar. Glass is probably the right container for medicines. But not the most convenient. Drops in a glass bottle are convenient to use only at home, but it’s difficult to take such a bottle with you, for example, to work. But my mother doesn’t work, so for us in this case it doesn’t matter what package the medicine comes in.
Moreover, these drops had a removable pipette cap.
But for home use, such packaging is suitable, the main thing is not to drop or spill any drops. If you need to carry the drops with you, it is better to check with the pharmacist when purchasing how the drops are packaged.
This is what the bottle looks like with the dropper installed. You need to drip one drop into the conjunctival sac, not onto the eyeball. To be honest, it is not always possible to instill drops correctly without outside help. I often drip incorrectly and in excess because I can’t regulate that one drop I need. And in such a package it’s difficult. In order to drop, you need to press the soft pipette.
The drops are not thick or oily, these drops are ordinary, liquid, transparent. Dexamethasone burns my eyes a little, but this burning goes away quickly. And my drops leak out and after instillation my eyes water for a while. But this seems to be the norm.
Drops always help, relieve inflammation, remove itching and redness. But it is better to use this medicine after consultation with a doctor and according to the regimen that he prescribes.
If you are prescribed Dexamethasone eye drops, do not be alarmed by their hormonal composition. I myself am against hormonal drugs, but sometimes you can’t do without these drops. Drops are especially helpful when you need to relieve inflammation quickly. But you shouldn’t get carried away with Dexamethasone; it can worsen the condition of the cornea. As a rule, treatment is not limited to Dexamethasone alone; if you feel better, your eye is not always healthy. Usually Dexamethasone is the first stage of treatment. Dexamethasone will only relieve the severity of inflammation, and in the future you will have to take a full course of other drops prescribed by the doctor, most likely no longer cheap.
Open drops should not be stored. You've dug up the course you need and it's better to throw away the rest. Moreover, the drops are not expensive and it is always better to buy fresh drops for the eyes. Expensive drops can be stored open for a maximum of a month.
Dexamethasone eye drops from the Belmedpreparaty company turned out to be normal and helped. When purchasing, you will only pay attention to whether such packaging is convenient for you or whether it is worth looking for Dexamethasone in a soft bottle. Be healthy today and always, thank you everyone for your attention!
Contraindications
Dexamethasone is contraindicated for:
- with keratitis caused by the Varicella zoster and Herpes simplex viruses, as well as with viral damage to the conjunctiva and cornea;
- eye infection with mycobacteria;
- fungal infections of the eyeball;
- acute purulent pathologies of the eye;
- disruption of the structure of the corneal epithelium;
- increased intraocular pressure;
- the presence of individual sensitivity to drops.
Dexamethasone drops can be prescribed to women during pregnancy and feeding only in special cases when the possible benefit outweighs the threat and harm that can be caused to the fetus or newborn.
special instructions
Due to a decrease in local immunity with long-term use of Dexamethasone, the development of a secondary fungal, viral or bacterial infection of the eye is possible.
Since intraocular hypertension may develop with prolonged use of the drug, intraocular pressure should be measured in case of treatment for more than 14 days.
Before instilling the solution into the subconjunctival sac, contact lenses should be removed. You can install them in their original place after a quarter of an hour.
If a secondary infection occurs during treatment, then additional antibacterial drops may be prescribed. If you are allergic, you should immediately stop using Dexamethasone drops.
Due to the fact that lacrimation may increase after instillation of the medicine, you should not use drops immediately before working with complex mechanisms or before driving a car.
Once opened, the bottle should be used within a month.
Dexamethasone (eye drops), 1 piece, 5 ml, 0.1%, eye drops
Long-term use of topical glucocorticosteroids can lead to increased intraocular pressure and/or glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, decreased visual acuity and visual field defects, and the formation of posterior subcapsular cataracts.
Therefore, in patients using drugs containing glucocorticosteroids for a long time (more than 10 days), intraocular pressure should be regularly measured.
The risk of increased intraocular pressure and/or cataract formation due to the use of corticosteroids in patients with a predisposition (for example, diabetes) is higher.
The risk of increased intraocular pressure increases in patients with concomitant ocular hypertension and/or glaucoma, as well as in patients with a family history of glaucoma; weekly monitoring of intraocular pressure in such patients is necessary.
It is necessary to be careful and periodically perform biomicroscopy when using the drug in the treatment of deep keratitis caused by Herpes simplex. If there is no improvement within 7-8 days, it is necessary to reconsider the choice of therapy.
Glucocorticosteroids can reduce resistance to bacterial, viral or fungal infections and promote their development, as well as mask clinical signs of infection.
For concomitant bacterial infections, appropriate antibacterial therapy should be prescribed.
The appearance of non-healing ulcers on the cornea may indicate the development of fungal invasion. If fungal invasion occurs, glucocorticosteroid therapy should be discontinued.
Glucocorticosteroids, when applied topically, can slow down the healing process of the cornea. Topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also known to slow or delay healing. Concomitant use of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and topical steroids may increase the likelihood of impaired healing (see section "Interactions with other drugs").
It is known that in diseases that cause thinning of the cornea or sclera, perforations may occur as a result of the use of topical corticosteroids.
When therapy lasts more than 2 weeks, the condition of the cornea should be monitored.
The use of dexamethasone in the complex therapy of Sjöngren's syndrome is possible only for moderate and severe keratoconjunctivitis; the duration of the course of therapy should be no more than 2 weeks due to the possibility of developing undesirable reactions (see section “Side Effects”).
After use, it is recommended to perform nasolacrimal occlusion or carefully close the eye. This may reduce the systemic absorption of the drug when applied topically, and thereby reduce the likelihood of systemic adverse reactions.
This product contains benzalkonium chloride, which may cause eye irritation and stain soft contact lenses. Contact of the drug with soft contact lenses should be avoided. If patients are allowed to wear contact lenses, they should be instructed to remove contact lenses before using the drug and reinsert them no earlier than 15 minutes after instillation of the drug.
Shake the bottle before use.
The bottle must be closed after each use.
Do not touch the tip of the pipette to any surfaces.
