fluocinolone acetonide at a glance
Medicine class
Potent topical corticosteroid; the eye implant is a locally acting ophthalmic corticosteroid.
Available routes
Applied to the skin as cream, ointment or gel, or inserted into the eye by an ophthalmology specialist.
What is fluocinolone acetonide used for?
Licensed uses depend on the formulation.
Cream and ointment: inflammatory, itchy or allergic skin disorders including eczema and dermatitis, prurigo, limited psoriasis, lichen planus and discoid lupus erythematosus.
Gel: seborrhoea, seborrhoeic dermatitis and psoriasis of the scalp, and inflammatory dermatoses elsewhere.
Intravitreal implant: visual impairment associated with chronic diabetic macular oedema that has responded insufficiently to available therapies.
Intravitreal implant: prevention of relapse in recurrent non-infectious uveitis affecting the back of the eye.
How does fluocinolone acetonide work?
It activates corticosteroid receptors and suppresses inflammatory signalling and immune activity. In the eye it also reduces vascular leakage and swelling; on the skin this decreases redness, swelling and itching.
fluocinolone acetonide preparations and strengths
Implant
Route: Implant
Strengths: 190 micrograms
How to take fluocinolone acetonide
Use skin preparations only on the affected area as prescribed. Apply gently and wash your hands afterwards unless they are being treated. Avoid the eyes and do not cover treated skin unless instructed. The eye implant is inserted under aseptic conditions by a trained ophthalmology professional. Do not drive while vision remains blurred after the procedure.
Cream: suited to moist or weeping skin and body folds.
Ointment: suited to dry or scaly lesions.
Gel: massage gently into the scalp or other hairy areas.
Keep topical preparations away from the eyes.
fluocinolone acetonide side effects
Common or expected effects
- Skin preparations: application-site irritation, itching or hypersensitivity, acne-like eruptions, altered pigmentation or increased local hair growth; frequencies are not known.
- Eye implant: cataract and raised pressure inside the eye are very common.
- Eye implant: blurred vision, floaters, eye discomfort or pain, conjunctival bleeding and glaucoma can occur.
Get urgent medical advice
- Increasing eye pain, redness, light sensitivity or worsening vision after an implant may indicate infection inside the eye.
- Flashes, sudden floaters or a curtain-like loss of vision may indicate retinal detachment.
- Extensive or prolonged skin use can cause skin thinning, stretch marks, visible small blood vessels or adrenal suppression.
- Intense redness, burning, peeling or oozing extending beyond the treated area after stopping may represent topical steroid withdrawal.
fluocinolone acetonide in pregnancy
Topical corticosteroids can be used in pregnancy when clinically needed because systemic absorption is usually small, but the prescription should be reviewed. Evidence for the intravitreal implant is limited, and its product information advises avoiding it during pregnancy as a precaution; specialist discussion is important.
fluocinolone acetonide while breastfeeding
Skin and intravitreal fluocinolone are considered compatible with breastfeeding because maternal systemic exposure is expected to be negligible. Do not apply a topical preparation to the breast before feeding. Seek specialist advice for an implant or if the infant is premature or unwell.
fluocinolone acetonide interactions
No specific medicine interactions are established for the skin preparations, and formal interaction studies have not been performed with the implant. The eye specialist should review all medicines before the procedure.
Anticoagulants and antiplatelet medicines
Tell the ophthalmology team because these medicines may modestly increase conjunctival bleeding associated with the implant procedure.
Common questions about fluocinolone acetonide
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is fluocinolone acetonide a steroid?
Yes. It is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammatory and immune responses in the skin or eye.
What is the difference between the cream, ointment and gel?
Cream suits moist or weeping areas, ointment suits dry or scaly skin, and gel suits the scalp or hairy areas.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.