fluorometholone

Generic FML

Used for Allergic Conjunctivitis, Eye Inflammation

Fluorometholone is a steroid medication that treats allergic reactions and inflammation (swelling) in the eye. It's available as an eye suspension (eye drop) and an ointment.

Reviewed by:

Robert Chad Hakim, PharmD, BCCCP

Cydnee Ng, PharmD

Last reviewed on November 14, 2021

What is Fluorometholone?

What is Fluorometholone used for?

Eye inflammation conditions

How Fluorometholone works

Fluorometholone is a corticosteroid that is like cortisol, a natural hormone your body makes. When it's used in the eyes, it lowers certain chemicals in your eyes that cause inflammation (swelling, redness, pain, and itchiness).

Are you looking for information on fluocinonide (Vanos) or fluorouracil (Efudex, Carac) instead?

When does Fluorometholone start working?Time passed since treatment started:

HOURS

DAYS

Full effect

WEEKS

MONTHS

Drug facts

Common Brands	FML, FML Forte, Flarex
Drug Class	Corticosteroid
Controlled Substance Classification	Not a controlled medication
Generic Status	Lower-cost generic available
Availability	Prescription only

Common Brands

FML, FML Forte, Flarex

Drug Class

Corticosteroid

Controlled Substance Classification

Not a controlled medication

Generic Status

Lower-cost generic available

Availability

Prescription only

Side effects of Fluorometholone

The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.

Common Side Effects

Burning or stinging in the eye
Eye irritation
High pressure in your eyes

Less Common Side Effects

Inflammed cornea
Open cut (ulcer) in the cornea
Dilated (widened) pupils
Feeling of a foreign body in your eye
Eyelid redness or swelling
Eye redness, discharge, pain, or itching
Excess tears
Blurry vision
Losing part of your field of vision
Inability to focus on objects at a close distance
Eye infections (with long-term use)
Abnormal taste
Rash

When do Fluorometholone possible side effects begin and end?

Time passed since treatment started:

MMINUTES

HHOURS

DDAYS

WWEEKS

MMONTHS

Burning or stinging in the eye

Eye irritation

High pressure in your eyes

Source: DailyMed

The following Fluorometholone side effects have also been reported

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

Bigger, dilated, or enlarged pupils (black part of the eye)

blurred vision or other change in vision

burning, dry, or itching eyes

decreased vision

delayed wound healing

discharge from eye

headache

increased sensitivity of the eyes to light

nausea or vomiting

redness, pain, swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid

tearing

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

Burning and stinging sensation when medicine is applied

drooping upper eyelids

feeling of having something in the eye

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See more Fluorometholone side effects

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Avg retail price

$50.20(Save 40.68%)

GoodRx discount

$29.78

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Pros and cons of Fluorometholone

Pros

Available as an ointment and a suspension
0.1% suspension is available as a lower-cost generic medication
Generic and brand names, except Flarex, can be used in children 2 years of age and older

Cons

Might need to be used up to 3 to 4 times per day
Certain suspensions and ointment only available as expensive, brand medications
Might need to get your eyes checked periodically if using fluorometholone long term

Pharmacist tips for Fluorometholone

If the inflammation and pain in your eye(s) don't improve after 2 days of using fluorometholone, talk to your provider to see if you should continue using this medication.
If you wear contact lenses, take them out before using fluorometholone to prevent any damage to the lenses. Then, wait at least 15 minutes after using the medication to put them back into your eye(s). If you have an eye infection, it's generally not recommended to wear contact lenses until your infection goes away.
The bottle or tube tip of fluorometholone must stay clean and free of bacteria (sterile). Don't touch the tip with your hands or to your eye or any other surface when giving yourself the medication. Doing so can introduce bacteria (contaminate) to the bottle or tube tip, which can cause eye infections. Make sure to keep the medication capped and closed tightly when you're not using it. Don't share the medication with anyone to prevent the infection from spreading to other people. If the medication tip becomes contaminated, clean it with an alcohol wipe.
If you're using more than one eye drop medication, wait at least 5 minutes between using medications. This makes sure your eye can fully absorb each medication.
How to use the eye drops (suspension): Wash and dry your hands before and after using the eye drops. Shake the bottle well. Tilt your head backward and look up. Then, gently pull your lower eyelid down to form a small pocket and squeeze one drop of medication into this pocket. Don't blink or wipe your eyes. Close your eyes while pressing a finger against the inside corner of your eye for about 1 minute to help keep the medication in your eye. If you need to take more than one drop, wait a few minutes in between each drop.
How to use the eye ointment: Wash and dry your hands before and after using the eye ointment. Tilt your head backward and look up. Then, gently pull your lower eyelid down to form a small pocket and squeeze a half-inch ribbon of ointment into the pocket. Blink gently, then close your eye for 1 to 2 minutes. Wipe any extra ointment away from your eye with a tissue paper. With a new tissue paper, wipe the tube clean.
Store fluorometholone in a cool and dry place at room temperature and keep away from children.

Common questions about Fluorometholone

Generic Fluorometholone is available as a suspension. Fluorometholone is also available as a few brand products: FML, FML Forte, and Flarex. All brands come as suspensions, but FML is the only brand that comes as a suspension and an eye ointment. Make sure you know which form you're using since they're slightly different from each other. Contact your provider or pharmacist if you're not sure.

The inflammation and pain in your eye should get better within 2 days after you start using generic Fluorometholone suspension, FML, FML Forte, or Flarex. If your symptoms don't get better, contact your provider to see if you should continue using this medication.

No. Don't suddenly stop taking Fluorometholone even if you feel better. Doing so can cause your eye inflammation to come back. Depending on how long you've been using Fluorometholone, you might need to slowly lower the dose before stopping it completely. Talk to your provider for instructions on when and how to stop using Fluorometholone.

1 If you're pregnant, speak with your provider before using Fluorometholone to see if it's right for you.

Generic Fluorometholone suspension, FML, and FML Forte can be used in children 2 years and older. But it's not known if Flarex is safe or effective in children younger than 18 years old and should be avoided.

Risks and warnings for Fluorometholone

Fluorometholone 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.

Eye problems, eye infections, and slow healing

Risk factors: Long-term use | History of glaucoma or cataracts | History of viral infections (including herpes simplex) in the eye | Recent surgery in the cornea

Long-term use of fluorometholone raises your risk of glaucoma, vision problems, and thinning of the cornea (outer layer of your eye). It can also cause new or worsening eye infections. Don't take this medication if you have an eye infection, including herpes simplex. If you've had recent surgery in your cornea, using fluorometholone can slow the healing process. If you need to take fluorometholone for a long time (10 days or longer), you'll need regular eye exams to check the health of your eyes. Let your provider know if you have vision changes or eye pain while taking this medication.

Avoid contact lenses

Risk factors: Using generic fluorometholone suspension, FML suspension, FML Forte, or Flarex

All suspension forms of fluorometholone contain a preservative called benzalkonium chloride. The preservative can get absorbed into soft contact lenses and damage them. Because of this, take out your contact lenses before you use the suspension, and wait at least 15 minutes after using the medication to put them back into your eye(s).

Fluorometholone dosage

The average cost for 1 eye dropper of 5ml of 0.1% of Fluorometholone is $29.78 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 40.68% off the average retail price of $50.20.

Eye dropper

Dosage	Quantity	Price as low as	Price per unit
5ml of 0.1%	1 eye dropper	$29.78	$29.78
15ml of 0.1%	1 eye dropper	$77.22	$77.22
10ml of 0.1%	1 eye dropper	$50.52	$50.52

See more Fluorometholone dosage

Interactions between Fluorometholone and other drugs

Fluorometholone may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Fluorometholone. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

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 healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

See more Fluorometholone interactions

How much does Fluorometholone cost?

To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.

FML (brand)

GoodRx lowest price

$29.78

(save 92.57%)

Fluorometholone (generic)

GoodRx lowest price

$29.78

(save 90.89%)

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Fluorometholone contraindications

Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Fluorometholone will not be safe for you to take.