Anti-inflammatory Drugs, Nonsteroidal (Ophthalmic)

Before Using This Medicine

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 ophthalmic anti-inflammatory medicines, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to one of the ophthalmic anti-inflammatory medicines or other serious reactions, especially asthma or wheezing, runny nose, or hives, to any of the following medicines:

• Aspirin or other salicylates
• Diclofenac (e.g., Voltaren)
• Diflunisal (e.g., Dolobid)
• Etodolac (e.g., Lodine)
• Fenoprofen (e.g., Nalfon)
• Floctafenine (e.g., Idarac)
• Flurbiprofen, oral (e.g., Ansaid)
• Ibuprofen (e.g., Motrin)
• Indomethacin (e.g., Indocin)
• Ketoprofen (e.g., Orudis)
• Ketorolac (e.g., Toradol)
• Meclofenamate (e.g., Meclomen)
• Mefenamic acid (e.g., Ponstel)
• Nabumetone (e.g., Relafen)
• Naproxen (e.g., Naprosyn)
• Oxyphenbutazone (e.g., Tandearil)
• Phenylbutazone (e.g., Butazolidin)
• Piroxicam (e.g., Feldene)
• Sulindac (e.g., Clinoril)
• Suprofen (e.g., Suprol)
• Tenoxicam (e.g., Mobiflex)
• Tiaprofenic acid (e.g., Surgam)
• Tolmetin (e.g., Tolectin)
• Zomepirac (e.g., Zomax)

Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Although studies on birth defects have not been done in pregnant women after use of these medicines in the eye, ophthalmic anti-inflammatory medicines have not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems. Studies have been done in animals receiving anti-inflammatory medicines by mouth in amounts that are much greater than the amounts used in the eye. These medicines did not cause birth defects in these studies. However, they decreased the weight or slowed the growth of the fetus and caused other, more serious, harmful effects on the fetus when they were given in amounts that were large enough to cause harmful effects in the mother. Also, when these medicines were given to animals late in pregnancy, they increased the length of pregnancy or prolonged labor.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether any of these medicines pass into the breast milk after they are placed in the eye. Diclofenac, indomethacin, and suprofen pass into the breast milk when they are are taken by mouth. It is not known whether flurbiprofen passes into the breast milk when it is taken by mouth. However, these medicines have not been shown to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - These medicines have been studied only in adults, and there is no specific information about their use in children.

Older adults - These medicines have been tested and have not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than they do in younger adults.

Other 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 health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of these medicines. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Hemophilia or other bleeding problems - The possibility of bleeding may be increased
• Viral eye infection (epithelial herpes simplex keratitis), or a history of having a viral eye infection - It is possible that a current infection could be made worse or an old infection could return
• Use of soft contact lenses - Eye irritation, such as redness and burning of the eyes, may occur