dextran 70 + hypromellose: clinical use

Prescribing considerations

• Confirm that symptoms are consistent with dry eye rather than infection, injury or another cause requiring assessment.
• The multidose product contains benzalkonium chloride and requires contact-lens precautions; consider preservative exposure when choosing a presentation.
• Advise patients to stop treatment and seek review for eye pain, vision changes, persistent redness or irritation, or deterioration.
• Temporary visual disturbance may affect driving and machinery use.

Contraindications and cautions

• Hypersensitivity to dextran 70, hypromellose or any formulation excipient.

Monitoring

• No routine systemic laboratory monitoring is described.
• Assess symptom response, ocular-surface tolerance and hygienic administration.
• Review persistent or worsening symptoms and possible preservative intolerance.

Clinical pharmacology

Dextran 70 and hypromellose provide a local lubricant and emollient action over the ocular surface. Corneal and conjunctival penetration is expected to be low because of the polymers' high molecular weights.

Formulation and product differences

• The single-dose product is unpreserved and contains physiological electrolytes; each opened container is for immediate, single use.
• The multidose bottle contains benzalkonium chloride, disodium edetate and other excipients, and has specific soft-contact-lens precautions.
• The selected eMC listings are marked discontinued, so local product availability should be checked.