Restasis for Dry Eye Disease User Reviews (Page 5)

• Cyc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2022

"I was prescribed Restasis by my LASIK surgeon in April 2021. I was having severely dry eyes due to my LASIK surgery back in 2018 and had consulted the LASIK clinic at that time. The doctor prescribed me a steroid drop as well with Restasis. I used Restasis for 10 months and ended up with severe pain in my eyes, temporal region, forehead, and almost in my entire head. I could not understand the cause for so many weeks. I was miserable and could not do anything. My eye dryness was not that bad to cause that much pain. So I thought it must have been the prescription drug that I had been taking. I immediately stopped its use. Within the next day or two, the pain subsided, and now I am left with the discomfort due to dry eyes only. I am so glad I am back to my original state. Restasis does not do any good except making your symptoms worse. Just try using different tears (PF) until you find the one that suits you the best. Do wet warm compresses twice every day, eyelid massage, and blinking exercises."

• Jac...
• October 13, 2018

"I was awaking during the night with severe eye pain to the point of crying at times due to the pain. I have dry eyes and ocular dystrophy. I have been using Restasis for only about 3 weeks, and I see a little improvement. I don’t have to sit in a dark room with my eyes covered with a cool damp washcloth anymore all day; although I do put one on at nighttime. I had been experiencing nearly daily corneal abrasions. It has been several days since I had one. The medication is a necessity, as I have found nothing else that helps as much. I am hoping to see continued improvement as I have been told it could take 6 months to see optimal results. As everyone said, the drawback is the bottle is difficult to use since the drops take a long time to come out, and there does not seem to be an adequate amount. With insurance and the Allergan coupon, the drops are affordable. I am very grateful for the medication. I make some tears now, and my eyes are more comfortable."

• Com...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2022

"I tried using Restasis for dry eyes caused by a stem cell transplant. The drug burned my eyes for months, and I suffered through it with the hopes and prospects that it would work. It did not work. It only caused me more misery. I just obtained a grant from a foundation for Cequa or cyclosporine, and will decline those too since Restasis also has cyclosporine. I actually read that these drops can damage your eyes. I have seen many doctors. The only drops that cannot really cause vision problems are autologous serum tears made from your own blood and serum and Regineer Drops made out of a placenta. They charge around $600.00 for these drops and do not accept insurance. It is appalling that these big pharma companies charge such expensive prices for drugs that we need to preserve our vision. My optometrist and ophthalmologist told me that I can use castor oil. I only read good reviews about it on Etsy. I purchased pharmaceutical organic grade castor oil made in the U.S.A. that has been tested."

• Unh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 27, 2017

"I have little to no effect using Restasis for 9 months. At about $900 for a prescription of multidose Restasis, I got about 40 days of applications, not the 55 claimed by Allergan. The dropper design is simply awful. The dropper is very difficult to squeeze to release a drop. The liquid is too viscous for a drop. It comes out in an amount that is probably equivalent to 3 applications. The cost of this is prohibitive; my insurance is paying about $500 per prescription, so I am picking up the $400 balance. I will never order the multiuse prescription again, and I am doing my best to persuade my ophthalmologist to prescribe a different drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 11, 2017

"I just received the multi-dose after years of using the vials. No doubt you can get about 2-3 days' use out of just one vial. I got the dropper for convenience. But the dropper is a joke, and I'm lucky to get 20 days out of one bottle. They really screwed up the bottle design. I have to squeeze hard to get a drop out, and then sometimes two come out. I will never get the multi-dose again unless they make it better and put more in them. This being said, the Restasis has definitely taken care of my dry eyes. I am fortunate that my insurance covers it."

• eea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 5, 2018

"This one-star rating is for RESTASIS MultiDose my insurer is now providing via mail order. Whoever invented this, it is a marketing ploy by Allergan, and they should be hung out to dry! Horrible applicator, as noted by many. I'll be back to the vials, which will cost more locally, but such a better product. I would give Restasis an 8-star rating for the drug itself, which Allergan again markets to the hilt at the customer's expense. It is hard to like a drug company like this."

• Dry...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 6, 2018

"I first used multidose bottles then switched to vials. Vials are MUCH better. I get 2+ days from 1 vial (after opening, stored upright in fridge in a narrow capped pill bottle). Previously, for several months, I had a ghost image about 1 o'clock above the normal image in both eyes. The combination of Restasis PLUS Refresh PM ointment in each eye before bed quickly cleared up the ghost image problem. My ophthalmologist said the dry eyes had caused a scar due to eyes not being fully closed during sleep--hence the need for a lubricating ointment."

• Pan...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 16, 2021

"I was given the squeeze bottle for the first time on my Rx earlier this year. Bad engineering, as others have commented here about waiting forever for a huge drop to come out only to have it land on your cheek. Not happy here. Will be insisting on the vials only for future refills. They work perfectly."

• Eri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 10, 2018

"I have used Restasis for almost five years, with great results, no side effects. The ampules worked beautifully, I never lost one drop. I was happy to switch to the multi-dose option, thinking there would be less waste. What a horrible design! Drops sometimes run down the side of the bottle instead of the nozzle (which is too short). You need to squeeze extra hard to get a drop out, and so sometimes a huge drop that feels like two drops comes out. I have never experienced an eye drop bottle this terrible. It is unmanageable."

• LSa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2021

"I've been using Restasis for about a week, and it has made a tremendous difference. Eyes are not nearly as dry and itchy as before. It stings a bit just after you put in the drops, but goes away quickly. Very happy!"

• Sor...
• December 4, 2018

"I am very unhappy with the multi-dispensing bottle. I did not know you can choose the vials. I am getting arthritis in my hands, and I would swear my thumb would sprain before a drop comes out! I also use Fresh Kote, and it now comes in the same type bottle, but it is very easy to use. I was completely shocked when I picked up my 4th refill, and it was the single vials. Yeah! However, this isn't doing much to make more tears. Xiidra was much more effective, but my insurance wouldn't cover it."

• Ann...
• July 14, 2018

"The multi-dose bottle is impossible for me to use by myself. I have to have someone put the drops in for me, and by the time we get a drop out of the bottle, my eyes are burning and dry from holding them open so long. I don’t really see that I’m any better after one month, and this drug is outrageously expensive. My next refill, I will ask for the single-use vials, which I hate because of all the plastic, but I have to have."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 14, 2023

"I used this a decade ago for a few years until I lost insurance. When I went back to the doctor with insurance, they prescribed Xiidra. I tried Xiidra for 2 years with zero improvement, though my doctor claimed there was 'reduced inflammation'. I finally asked if they could contact my insurer to see if I could use Restasis instead because I was fed up with the excruciating pain of the Xiidra drops, worsening floaters, and zero improvement in dryness. My insurer authorized this finally and it was a completely different experience. I use one drop twice a day, no pain, no burning and watery eyes for an hour and after a few days I woke up to eyes that felt less dry! It was just like I remembered. I only wish insurers would wake up and realize not all of us get improvement or can tolerate Xiidra."

• Lul...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 6, 2018

"Restasis medication has helped my dry eyes so very much, but the new bottle is awful. The design is outrageous, the nose bit is too short. I understand the mechanics inside need to dispense one drop and it has to be aseptic. I appreciate that, but the nose is too short. Especially halfway through the bottle, it's outrageous, it comes out and goes to the side of the bottle. Very, very difficult to use. I feel sorry for elderly patients who might need to use this medication with arthritis. Please address this issue. Much appreciated."

• Ter...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 26, 2018

"I'm not sure if Restasis works well. Can't get enough from the bottle to the eye to find out. The eyes sting badly, so I have to use some Systane after 30 minutes. Perhaps the Allergan (Restasis) folks could call the Alcon (Systane) folks to find out how to make a bottle for eye drops. Will be using only Systane when the Restasis runs out."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 27, 2018

"If you can get these drops in your eyes without blinking (it takes so long!), it works quite well. However, no medicine should be this difficult to use to do its job! Whoever invented this new eye drop bottle should be fired!"

• Bel...
• January 15, 2017

"I have only been using this drug for 4 days. I am not having any problems with using it, however, I am a bit concerned with loss of appetite and brain fog. I can stand to lose some weight, but since I am a nursing student, I cannot deal with feeling out of it. I wonder if these side effects are temporary."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2022

"I was prescribed Restasis for my dry eye condition, and I'm oddly relieved that people have shared their negative experience of its usage. I thought these side effects I was having were from something else, the nausea and headaches, and it so happens to be the day after I apply the eye drops. Very uncomfortable side effects, and I did not see that much of an improvement in my condition."

• Lin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 23, 2018

"A combination of Restasis and Pataday has cured my constant watery eyes - so distracting and embarrassing - I'm a teacher and tears running down my cheeks doesn't exactly inspire confidence. BUT switched pharmacy to CVS, and they sent the multidose. Like others, I have trouble getting an exact drop out of the bottle, and it does NOT last one month. Not sure what I can do to get the single-dose vials since my insurance has a say."

• Bli...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 13, 2021

"I am having significant problems with the multidose bottle. The bottle needs to be squeezed so hard just to squeeze out one drop. After squeezing the bottle so hard, I usually end up missing the target, and the drop goes on my cheek. I am going to see about contacting the company. I have strong hands, I can't imagine my mom or grandma having to squeeze a tiny bottle so hard -- they would never be able to do it."

• She...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 10, 2025

"Restasis seems to work for my dry eyes, but the price was definitely not worth it. I switched to the generic, which works just as well. The only problem I have is the vial has changed recently and is very hard to squeeze out the medication into your eye."

• Pau...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 8, 2018

"When I heard they had come out with a multi-dose bottle, I was thrilled, more compact, less plastic waste, etc. Then I used it. The design of this bottle is terrible. You have to squeeze so hard and wait for the drop, usually, two come out at once. There is hardly enough in the bottle to last one month! Yet it costs the same as 60 single-use vials! I am paying over $300 per month with the $200 coupon from Restasis! I am going back to the single-use vials. They are easier to use, and I will definitely get at least one month, maybe two out of it. Hopefully, Allergan will consider our opinions and redesign the multi-dose bottle."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 13, 2025

"Restasis (and now generic cyclosporine) works great for me! (It works best 2x/day as prescribed but still fairly effective 1x/day if I drink plenty of water.) Restasis gave me incredible relief from years of constantly sore eyes. It made a world of difference to me in everyday living. No more constant discomfort in my eyes! (I also wasn’t constantly blinking anymore. I hadn’t realized I was doing that until friends and coworkers asked if something was wrong.) Be sure to follow instructions about keeping eyes CLOSED FOR 1-2 minutes and NOT blinking to spread it (like over-the-counter drops) as it makes a major difference in effectiveness. Yes, Restasis was outrageously expensive even with multiple doses from one vial-but the relief was worth the cost. The generic cyclosporine seems very effective also and is much more reasonable cost especially if it is covered under insurance. (With Medicare Part D, some plans covered generic and others only the high-copay Restasis brand.)"

• cha...
• November 28, 2022

"I've been on Restasis for 7 weeks now. No side effects other than a little stinging. My eyes felt a little better after just a few days. After the 1st week, I didn't need any OTC drops. Every day, they felt a tiny bit better than the day before. Now I'd say they are maybe 80% there. I still have problems with eye moisturizer and eye makeup... my eyes sting for a while if I use those, but much less than in the beginning. My eyes never feel dry now, just sometimes a little goopy/stringy. I'm so happy that Restasis works for me... I had put off trying it for years. I also use one vial for AM and PM, and don't refrigerate. Hopefully, after 4-6 months, they will be even better."

• Bil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2018

"The multi-dose administration device is a disaster. It should be investigated. Possibly they think they can sell more due to the wastage. Of course, my arthritis may be a factor, but comment true nonetheless."