Setting Appropriate Treatment Expectations

Often, those whose tear production is presumed to be suppressed due to ocular inflammation associated with Chronic Dry Eye have had the condition for several years. Just as it takes time for the condition to develop, it will take time to improve your patients' tear production. While there is no cure for Chronic Dry Eye, continued benefits can be achieved with continued use of RESTASIS®.

For Treatment of a Chronic Condition

Chronic Dry Eye isn't like a headache, which patients relieve with an aspirin until it goes away. Chronic Dry Eye is a chronic condition, and patients need to manage it on an ongoing basis.

Using artificial tears may provide short-term relief by moistening the eyes, but they cannot help increase tear production. RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion is the only prescription eye drop that can help your patients make more of their own real tears.

For When RESTASIS® Starts Working

RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion is not a quick fix and may take some time for maximum effect. It's important to remind patients that they didn't develop Chronic Dry Eye due to inflammation causing decreased tear production overnight, and it will take some time to manage the condition. Artificial tears and punctal plugs cannot increase tear production when tear production is presumed to be suppressed due to ocular inflammation associated with keratoconjunctivitis sicca—so it's important for them to continue using RESTASIS®.

Within a month, patients' eyes should start producing more of their own real tears. One way they'll know this is that they may start feeling less need to use artificial tears. Over the first 6 months of RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion treatment, use of artificial tears is likely to decrease.

Individual results may vary.

About Continued Use of Artificial Tears

It takes time to increase tear production. So when your patients start RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion, many may want to continue to use artificial tears as needed. Within a month, many patients feel a noticeable improvement; they may first notice that they're not using artificial tears as much. Your patients can use artificial tears, such as REFRESH® OPTIVE™ Lubricant Eye Drops, for symptom relief and RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion to help them make more of their own real tears. For more information about REFRESH® OPTIVE™ and the entire REFRESH® family of eye drops, please visit refreshbrand.com.

About Dosing

Patients should use RESTASIS® twice a day, 12 hours apart, every day.

  • 1 drop in each eye in the morning from 1 vial
  • From a new vial, 1 drop in each eye in the evening
  • Each vial should be disposed after use because RESTASIS® isn't a preserved solution
  • Note that RESTASIS® should appear milky white in the vial

About Side Effects

RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion should not be used by patients with active eye infections and has not been studied in patients with a history of herpes viral infections of the eye. The most common side effect is a temporary burning sensation. Other side effects include eye redness, discharge, watery eyes, eye pain, foreign body sensation, itching, stinging, and blurred vision.

Encourage patients to call immediately if they develop any symptoms of these or other side effects.

For Continued Use of RESTASIS®

There is no cure for patients with Chronic Dry Eye whose tear production is presumed to be suppressed due to ocular inflammation. Patients need to dose RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion on schedule, no matter how their eyes are feeling, to maintain the increase in tear production that it is achieving for them.