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429949 tn?1224691579

Anyone used Restasis, Any side effects???

My opthalmologist has just put me on Restasis eye drops. Does anyone have any experience with these drops or have had any bad side effects from using them? I know what the information on the prescribing list says, but I trust someone who has actually taken them more than what that insert inside the box says! Any info would help!

Santana
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429949 tn?1224691579
I don't have Rosacea, but I do have Malasma. It is a dark ring aroung my forehead and down my temple area and under my chin. It developed when I was 33 after the birth of my third son. A lot of older women call it a mothers Mask! But the Dermatologist says it is Melasma. It darkens if I get in the sun too much, and lightens up and almost disapears in the winter months. I have learned not to get in the sun without protection now! The opthalmologist did not say that the blepharitis was caused by this condition and I don't have dandruff. I believe it was caused by the Paroxetine that I started six weeks prior to the onset of all of this.

I am going to start the Restasis this weekend. I done a lot of reading about it and with what you have told me from personal experience, I believe it may be of some benefit to me. It says in the information on it that it is used to take surface inflamation down. I know my eyes and or eye lids are inflamed. I have too much swelling of the lids and too much pain in my eyes for nothing to be going on. Besides the dry eye and all of these surface conditions have been going on for too long and I am ready for some kind of relief!

Keep me posted on your progress and I will let you know how it is working for me too!

Thanks for the info
Hugs
~Santana~
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Avatar universal
I have to wait for my follow up visit to see how much the Restasis has helped heal the tear bed but I have noticed tears more often when my eyes feel irritation.  I guess that means more wetness on the surface of the eye.  Before I always thought my tears felt "thick"  if that means anything to you.  The only term my doctor mentioned during my exam was the damage he was using the dye and blepharitis. He mentioned that this was caused by Rosacea.  I have a very red face.

Personally I have been wondering about Shrojen's syndrome.  I am always thirsty, my tongue feels scraped at times and I think some days my taste is affected.  I have a dry nose and get sores inside that are very painful.  I have recently stopped my apnea treatment because I couldn't stand the nose dryness and irritation even with my humidfier turned on the cpap at high humidity.  I have moderate aches in my legs and joints but it is transient and varies to location.  I have fatique and weakness that is relasping and remitting. A fine tremmor in my hands that most times is not visible unless my arms are fatigued.

The only test that has come back with any positive finding was me recent emg/ncs which found evidense of an acute and chronic bilateral L5-S1 radiculopathy and an asymmetric sural SAP with mild prolongation on the left indicating a mild axonal polyneuropathy may be present. My brain MRI was normal and I am scheduled for a complete spine MRI soon if my insurance doesn't balk at doing the c-spine and thorasic along with the Lumbar.  I had asked for the c-spine and lumbar to be added when the doctor was only going to order the lumbar.
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429949 tn?1224691579
That's what I was wondering about, if it was temporary! I had a medication change of SSRI's six weeks prior to this whole mess and have supected that the paroxetine that I was changed to might have had something to do with my sudden vision dysfunction. Paroxetine( generic Paxil ) Lists visual field defects  as a possible adverse event, which is what I got after taking the paroxetine. I discontinued it and went back on my Zoloft when my vision started freaking out. None of my doctors have confirmed that this drug may have started this whole mess, but they have said things that made me wonder if they suspect it. So, sorry if I sound pariniod about starting new medications, but after this experience, I am a little gun shy about meds, especially ones that may affect my vision.  

You said that you had a damaged tear bed, what is the name they gave you for the damage. Is it some kind of tear gland disorder? I have Meibomaian Gland dysfunction and Blepharitis, both of which I never had until this all started, and guess what, they are on the rare side effects list for Paroxetine too! Just coinsidence?  Who knows?

Has the Restasis helped with the dry eye? What differences have you noticed so far? I read that it may take up to six months to see the most results.

Thank you for responding to this question. It took a lot of the worry about the blured vision off my mind!

~Santana~
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Avatar universal
The blurred vision that occurs is very temporary until the liquid drop absorbs into the eye.  Retasis is a slightly cloudy liquid and that Is why it is a little blurry at first when you use it. I have had no noticable altered vision otherwise.
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429949 tn?1224691579
My Rheumatologist just called me today to tell me that my blood test for the Sjogren's antibodies was negative, she said a positive test would have confirmed the dx, but that a negative test did not mean that I didn't have it. I guess I need more test, and I am about to figure out what they are!

I have had chronic dry eye, Meibomian gland dysfunction, and blepharitis(inflamation of the eye lids), since this all started two years ago. I also have a visual field defect and about 10 white matter lesions in my brain.

My DX for now is still ADEM, which is usually a one time attack very similar to MS. But I am still being watched for MS, having MRI's every six months. So far, no change to the lesions, no enhancement, and no new lesions or attacks.

The Meibomian Gland Dysfunction causes the Meibomian glands that produce an important part of the tear film to get clogged and or not release enough of the substance it is suposed to to stabalize the tear film. My eye lids swell up at the eye lash line in a ridge, with little white fluid filled bumps. I have to do very warm soaks for 15 to 20 min which liquifies the substance. Then I have to massage the lids to help secrete the substance. Then I have to scrub the lash lines with part hot water part baby shampoo with a q-tip and then rinse the area and pat dry. All of this allows the substance to release into my eyes and help lubricate the eye. All of this of corse is only temporary relief and has to be repeated as needed.

This is why the Restasis was perscribed by my opthalmologist. I am worried about the blured vision that it lists with these drops. I have just went through two years with blured distorted vision and it has finally partially improved. I don't want to ever have blured vision again! Did the Restasis cause blured vision with you? If so was it temporary and how long did it last after you put the drops in?

~Santana~
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Avatar universal
I've been in restasis for two months now for damaged tear bed due to chronic dry eye.  I haven't had much of any side effects except for occasional increased burning of the eyes. I have noticed that my eye will water and tears will form on occasion when watching television or at the computer. My doctor prescribed Lotemax drops to be used the first two weeks of starting Restasis treatment. He said it makes the eyes a little less sensitive and increases compliance with the Restasis treatment.  I will have to wait until my three month follow up to see if the damage to my eyes have healed.

On a previous thread I read that you might have Shrojen's Syndrome.  I haven't followed your story, what are your symptoms?

I have just recently started researching this for myself.
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