loteprednol

Generic Lotemax

Used for Allergic Conjunctivitis, Eye Infection, Eye Inflammation, Eye Pain

Loteprednol (Lotemax) is a steroid eye medication that comes in many strengths and forms to treat various eye conditions including recent eye surgery, dry eye, inflammation, and seasonal allergies.

Reviewed by:

Aileen Chu, PharmD, BCPS

Allison Gourley, PharmD

Last reviewed on September 10, 2021

What is Loteprednol (Lotemax)?

What is Loteprednol (Lotemax) used for?

Dry eye disease
Eye inflammation conditions
Inflammation and pain after eye surgery
Eye inflammation due to seasonal allergies

How Loteprednol (Lotemax) works

Loteprednol (Lotemax) is a steroid medication for your eyes. It helps block chemicals in the eye that cause inflammation, itching, and redness.

Drug facts

Common Brands	Lotemax, Lotemax SM, Eysuvis, Inveltys
Drug Class	Corticosteroid
Controlled Substance Classification	Not a controlled medication
Generic Status	Lower-cost generic available
Availability	Prescription only

Common Brands

Lotemax, Lotemax SM, Eysuvis, Inveltys

Drug Class

Corticosteroid

Controlled Substance Classification

Not a controlled medication

Generic Status

Lower-cost generic available

Availability

Prescription only

More on Loteprednol (Lotemax) essentials

Young woman putting in eye drops as she tilts her head back.
stefanamer/iStock via Getty Images

Lotemax Gel vs. Drops: How Do They Compare for Eye Inflammation and Pain?

Written by John Maneno, PharmD

Side effects of Loteprednol (Lotemax)

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

Blurry vision
Burning after placing the drops into the eye
Itching
Feeling like there's something in your eye

Less Common Side Effects

Eye inflammation
Eye redness
Headache
Runny nose
Throat irritation or inflammation
High eye pressure
Cataract
Slower healing
Infection
Eye injury
Worse vision

Loteprednol (Lotemax) serious side effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.

High eye pressure, injury, or infection: eye pain, discomfort, or change in vision that doesn't go away

When do Loteprednol (Lotemax) possible side effects begin and end?

Time passed since treatment started:

MMINUTES

HHOURS

DDAYS

WWEEKS

MMONTHS

Blurry vision

Burning after applying the drops into the eye

Itching

Risk for high eye pressure

Seek immediate medical care if you experience this side effect.

If a line continues to the right, you'll likely keep experiencing this side effect once it starts.

Source: DailyMed

The following Loteprednol (Lotemax) 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:

More common

Blurred vision or other change in vision

redness or swelling of the eye

sensitivity of the eyes to light

swelling of the membrane covering the white part of the eye

Less common

Decreased vision

discharge from the eye

eye discomfort, irritation, or pain

redness of the eyelid or inner lining of the eyelid

tiny bumps on the inner lining of the eyelid

Incidence not known

Blindness

gradual blurring or loss of vision

loss of vision

nausea

slow wound healing

tearing

vomiting

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:

More common

Burning feeling when medicine is applied

dry eyes

feeling of something in the eye

headache

itching

runny nose

sore throat

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 Loteprednol (Lotemax) side effects

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Avg retail price

$316.06(Save 92.09%)

Pros and cons of Loteprednol (Lotemax)

Pros

Applied directly where the pain or inflammation is
Causes fewer serious side effects than oral medications
Available as a suspension, gel, and ointment form

Cons

Slows healing and raises your risk of eye infection
May have to be used up to four times a day
Most forms are brand name only and may be expensive.

Pharmacist tips for Loteprednol (Lotemax)

Wash your hands before and after using loteprednol (Lotemax). Don't touch the tip of the container with your eye, hands, or any other surface. This will help you avoid contaminating the medication with germs or bacteria.
Suspension form: Shake the bottle well before each use. Gently pull down your lower eyelid and place the drop(s) into the space between your eyelid and eyeball. Afterwards, close your eye and put one finger to the inner corner of your eye by the nose and press lightly for a minute or two. This helps make sure your eye absorbs the drop.
Ointment form: Gently pull down your lower eyelid and put the ointment into the space between your eyelid and eyeball. Then, let go of the eyelid, look downwards, and close your eye for a minute or two so the medication is able to reach all the necessary parts of the eye.
Don't put any other medications in the eye for at least 5 minutes before or after loteprednol (Lotemax).
If your symptoms don't start to get better after 2 days, or if they get worse, contact your provider.
If you are using loteprednol (Lotemax) for more than 10 days, it's best to follow-up with your provider regularly to monitor for side effects like high eye pressure.

Common questions about Loteprednol

No, Loteprednol is not an antibiotic. It is a steroid (corticosteroid), so it treats inflammation but doesn't kill bacteria. Loteprednol is available in a combination eye drop with an antibiotic called tobramycin (brand name Zylet).

Use Loteprednol for up to two weeks if treating dry eye disease or to help recover after eye surgery. For certain eye inflammation conditions, you may need to use it for much longer; for example, in the clinical studies for giant papillary conjunctivitis, people took Loteprednol for six weeks. If you use this medication for more than 10 days, remember to follow-up with your provider on a regular basis to monitor for long-term side effects such as high eye pressure and infection.

Loteprednol 0.5% gel and suspension are available as generics. Other forms of Loteprednol are brand-name medications only. If you're having trouble paying for Loteprednol, talk to your provider to see if you can take something else for your condition. There are some other steroid eye medications, like Pred Forte (prednisolone acetate), that are generic and could be much cheaper.

Loteprednol should not be used by itself to treat pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis), since the condition is usually due to a bacterial or viral infection. Steroids like Loteprednol help with inflammation and irritation, but they also make it harder to get rid of the underlying infection or can even make the infection worse. If you have pink eye, it's best to get it diagnosed by a healthcare professional so that you get the right treatment for it. Some cases of pink eye may be treated with Loteprednol in combination with an antibiotic.

Risks and warnings for Loteprednol (Lotemax)

Loteprednol (Lotemax) 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.

HIGH EYE PRESSURE (GLAUCOMA)

Risk factors: Using loteprednol (Lotemax) for a long time | History of glaucoma

Using steroid eye medications like loteprednol (Lotemax) for a long time can lead to high eye pressure (glaucoma) which can damage your eye nerves and affect your vision. Let your provider know right away if you notice any eye pain, discomfort, or change in vision that doesn't go away. If you are going to be using loteprednol (Lotemax) for a while, you should be following up with your provider to check the pressure in your eyes.

CATARACTS

Steroid eye medications like loteprednol (Lotemax) can cause cataracts. Let your provider know right away if your vision gets worse or if you see glares or halos from lights at nighttime. It's okay to use this medication if you just had cataract(s) removed, but don't use it for longer than two weeks, and remember to follow-up with your provider regularly.

NEW OR WORSENED INFECTION

Risk factors: Using loteprednol (Lotemax) for a long time | History of herpes eye infection

Since steroids slows the immune system, using loteprednol (Lotemax) raises your chance of getting a fungal or viral eye infection. Steroids can also affect the symptoms of the infection by making them better or worse. If your eye(s) feel worse while using loteprednol (Lotemax), or if your symptoms don't start to get better after a couple of days, talk to your provider right away. You will need to follow up with your provider if you finish your prescription of loteprednol (Lotemax) and feel like you need a refill.

EYE INJURY OR DAMAGE

Risk factors: Using steroids in the eye for a long time | Thin corneas or sclera (the white part of your eye) | Recent cataract surgery

Steroids eye drops like loteprednol (Lotemax) can make certain parts of your eye thinner. When the corneas or sclera (the white part of your eye) get too thin, they can tear and cause more serious damage. Your risk of these problems is higher if you already have thin corneas or sclera or if you are using this medication for a long time. If you recently had cataract surgery, using loteprednol (Lotemax) can slow down the healing process and raise your risk of getting blebs (fluid-filled blisters) in the eye. Call your provider right away if you experience eye pain or discomfort, if your eye is tearing up more than usual, or if your vision gets worse.

CONTACT LENS USE

It's best not to wear contacts if you recently had eye surgery or if you're dealing with eye conditions such as inflammation and allergies. Ask your provider whether you can wear contacts while you are on loteprednol (Lotemax). If you are allowed to wear contacts, keep in mind that some forms of loteprednol (Lotemax) have a preservative, benzalkonium chloride, which can damage soft contact lenses. Remove soft contacts before using a dose of loteprednol (Lotemax), and wait at least 15 minutes after your dose before putting them back in.

Loteprednol (Lotemax) dosage

The average cost for 1 eye dropper of 5ml of 0.5% of Loteprednol (Lotemax) is $49.07 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 57.10% off the average retail price of $114.39.

Bottle of gel

Dosage	Quantity	Price as low as	Price per unit
5g of 0.5%	1 bottle	$51.47	$51.47

Eye dropper

Dosage	Quantity	Price as low as	Price per unit
5ml of 0.5%	1 eye dropper	$49.07	$49.07
10ml of 0.5%	1 eye dropper	$116.23	$116.23
15ml of 0.5%	1 eye dropper	$159.95	$159.95
5ml of 0.2%	1 eye dropper	$80.50	$80.50
10ml of 0.2%	1 eye dropper	$371.52	$371.52

See more Loteprednol (Lotemax) dosage

Interactions between Loteprednol (Lotemax) and other drugs

Loteprednol (Lotemax) 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 Loteprednol (Lotemax). 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. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Desmopressin

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Bemiparin
Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate
Macimorelin
Nadroparin
Sargramostim

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Auranofin

See more Loteprednol (Lotemax) interactions

How much does Loteprednol (Lotemax) cost?

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Loteprednol (Lotemax) 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 Loteprednol (Lotemax) will not be safe for you to take.