Altafluor
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) is a combination eye drop that's used before an eye exam. It contains fluorescein, a dye that helps your optometrist or ophthalmologist see inside your eye. The eye drop also contains benoxinate, a local anesthetic that numbs your eye. This medication is safe for adults and children. The eye specialist will usually put 1 to 2 drops into the eye before the exam. Side effects can include eye redness, irritation, and stinging. The numbness from the medication can last several minutes.
What is Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)?
What is Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) used for?
Numbing the eye and helping with imaging for eye exams or other eye procedures
How Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) works
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) is a combination of two medications.
Fluorescein is a topical dye. It highlights things in your eye, such as eye parts. This helps your eye specialist examine your eye and check for anything unusual (like certain eye conditions, injury, or infection).
Benoxinate is a local anesthetic. This means it blocks any feelings of pain you might have during the eye exam.
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What are the side effects of Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)?
Common Side Effects
- Eye redness
- Stinging feeling in the eye
- Burning sensation in the eye
- Eye irritation
- Blurry vision
- Inflamed cornea (punctate keratitis)
Source: DailyMed
The following side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Change in vision
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Burning or stinging of the eyes after use
- Eye redness
Pros and cons of Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)
Pros
Starts to work very quickly (less than a minute)
Few side effects that affect the eye only
Cons
Might need extra drops to continue the numbing effect if your eye procedure lasts a while
Can't touch the eye for several minutes afterwards to avoid getting your eye hurt
Pharmacist tips for Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) is usually placed into your eye by a healthcare professional at a clinic or medical office right before an eye procedure. You won't need to take any of this eye drop home to use.
Avoid touching your eye(s) for at least 20 minutes after you get Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) drops placed in your eye(s). The eye will be numb for about 20 minutes. During this time, you might not realize that you've accidentally hurt your eye.
You might need to wait longer than 20 minutes before you can touch your eye if the healthcare professional gave you extra drops of Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) during the procedure. Extra drops make the numbing effect last longer. Follow the eye specialist's instructions.
You might have some blurry vision and eye discomfort when Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) is used. But contact your healthcare professional if you start having concerning trouble seeing after your eye exam or procedure.
Avoid touching the tip of the eye drop bottle to prevent germs from spreading into the medication.
Frequently asked questions about Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)
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What are the risks and warnings for Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)?
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Corneal damage
Using Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) for a long time or using too much of the medication can lead to damage to your cornea (the clear, protective, outer layer of the eye). This damage might sometimes lead to vision loss. For this reason, the healthcare professional will make sure to give you an appropriate amount of medication for your eye procedure and no more than that.
Accidentally injuring the eye while it's numb
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) makes your eye(s) numb, so you won't feel eye pain or irritation. You might not know or recognize that you've accidentally injured your eye after the procedure. Make sure to avoid touching your eye(s) for at least 20 minutes after the healthcare professional puts the drops in the eye. This helps prevent eye injury.
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) dosage forms
| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5ml of 0.25%/0.4% | 1 eye dropper | $15.76 | $15.76 |
Typical dosing for Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)
Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) is usually given in a clinic or healthcare setting shortly before your eye exam or procedure. Your optometrist or ophthalmologist will make sure you get the drops placed into your eye at the correct dose and time.
In general, the healthcare professional will put 1 to 2 drops of the medication into the eye(s) as needed for the numbing effect.
The eye drops contain 0.25% of fluorescein and 0.4% of benoxinate.
How much does Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate) cost?
What are alternatives to Altafluor (fluorescein / benoxinate)?
Numbing the eye and helping with imaging for eye exams or other eye procedures
Numbing the eye for a procedure or surgery
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References
Best studies we foundAltaire PHarmaceuticals Inc. (2017). Altafluor- fluorescein sodium and benoxinate hydrochloride solution [package insert]. DailyMed.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2016). Cornea.
Bunya, V. Y. (2024). Superficial punctate keratitis. Merck Manual Consumer Version.
Pothen, A., et al. (2023). Fluorescein. StatPearls.
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