Prescription Medication for Dry Eye in California

Prescription Medications for Dry Eye

Your optometrist can recommend and prescribe medication for eye conditions when appropriate. Although eye drops are a standard option for relieving dryness, your optometrist may also prescribe ointments or oral medication.

Many innovative eye drops or topical options are in development, including eye drops for controlling eye allergies, treating meibomian gland dysfunction, or eliminating the Demodex mites that contribute to blepharitis.

Notably, there are currently 5 FDA-approved prescription medications intended for dry eye:

• Eysuvis (Kala Pharmaceuticals): the first ocular corticosteroid (loteprednol) FDA-approved for dry eye flares. The treatment is limited to 2 weeks at a time. Patients are given 4 drops daily in each eye.
• Restasis (Allergan) & Cequa (Sun Ophthalmics): eye drops with the active ingredient cyclosporine. The medication reduces inflammation to improve tear production. Patients take one drop per eye daily, with improvement typical within 3–6 months.
• Tyrvaya (Oyster Point): a nasal spray used to stimulate tear, oil, and mucin production.  Notably, the spray eliminates direct eye application, which can cause ocular burning or irritation.
• Xiidra (Novartis): an anti-inflammatory eye drop with the active ingredient lifitegrast. The medication can take up to 3 months to relieve symptoms. Some patients can experience ocular irritation or an unusual taste.

There are also multiple prescription medications intended to treat eye conditions that can cause dry eye. Therefore, treating the cause can improve dry eye symptoms. After evaluating your eye health and discussing symptoms, your optometrist can determine if there is an appropriate medication available.