loteprednol etabonate at a glance
Medicine class
Corticosteroid eye treatment
Licensed role
Inflammation following eye surgery
Form
A milky-white eye-drop suspension that must be shaken before use
Vision
Wait for temporary blurred vision to clear before driving or using machinery
What is loteprednol etabonate used for?
The selected UK product is licensed for:
Treatment of inflammation following eye surgery.
How does loteprednol etabonate work?
Loteprednol etabonate activates corticosteroid receptors in eye tissues, suppressing inflammatory responses triggered by surgery. It is designed for local activity and is converted to inactive metabolites; blood concentrations after ocular use are low or undetectable.
loteprednol etabonate preparations and strengths
Eye drops
Route: Ophthalmic
Strengths: 0.5%
How to take loteprednol etabonate
Use only in the eye and follow the prescriber's instructions.
Shake the bottle vigorously before each application.
Wash your hands and pull down the lower eyelid to form a pocket.
Do not let the dropper tip touch the eye, eyelid or another surface.
Close the bottle immediately after use.
Do not stop treatment without speaking to the prescriber.
Contact lenses are generally not recommended following cataract surgery; follow the eye-care team's advice.
loteprednol etabonate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Brief burning when the drops are applied
- Eye discomfort, dryness, itching or redness
- Watery eyes, discharge or a sensation of something in the eye
- Corneal surface changes
- Raised pressure inside the eye
- Headache
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction, including breathing or swallowing difficulty or swelling of the face or tongue
- Worsening eye pain with redness and sensitivity to light
- New or persistent visual disturbance
- Eye infection, glaucoma, cataract or tissue damage associated with prolonged corticosteroid use
loteprednol etabonate in pregnancy
There are no clinical pregnancy data specific to loteprednol etabonate. Although topical corticosteroids usually produce little systemic exposure, the product information states that loteprednol etabonate should be used during pregnancy only when clearly necessary; review treatment with the prescriber or eye specialist.
loteprednol etabonate while breastfeeding
The selected UK product is contraindicated during breastfeeding because transfer into human milk has not been established. Discuss an appropriate alternative with the prescriber or eye specialist.
loteprednol etabonate interactions
Tell the prescriber about all eye drops and other medicines. Important interactions include:
Systemic anticholinergic medicines
May increase the risk of raised pressure inside the eye.
Ocular pressure-lowering medicines
Loteprednol etabonate may raise eye pressure and reduce their apparent effect.
Cycloplegic eye medicines
Concurrent use may increase the risk of raised eye pressure.
Strong CYP3A inhibitors, including cobicistat-containing medicines
Common questions about loteprednol etabonate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is loteprednol etabonate an antibiotic?
No. It is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation and does not treat bacterial infection.
Why must loteprednol etabonate eye drops be shaken?
The selected product is a suspension, so shaking redistributes the active ingredient before application.
Can loteprednol etabonate raise eye pressure?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.