Cyclosporine ophthalmic and Burning: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Den...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 18, 2016

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "My husband is 42 years old and has perfect (20/20) vision. He began experiencing eye trouble about two years ago. It began with a few floaters. He says he still has these floaters as well as a feeling as if there are 'shadows' being cast over his eyes/eyelids. He also complains that they burn and have a 'sand' or 'grit' feeling in them. He has been to several eye doctors, all of which have either written him off completely or diagnosed him with having severe dry eye. He tried Restasis, and they have since become worse. No relief at all. He uses the non-preservative eye drops throughout the day and others occasionally. I see quite a few people have said the same thing, the Restasis just doesn't work. The discomfort has worsened."

• Bur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2023

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I have been on this eye treatment for a few weeks. It's causing my eyes to feel like they are burning, they constantly run and are red. I am going to my eye specialist in a few days, and I will tell him I am not using them again. They are also expensive at $85."

• but...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2022

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Dr. tried me on Cequa after another drug burned severely. Seems as though these do not burn, but after about 6 hours, my eyes start to feel as if there was grit in my eyes. Stopped using, as insurance won't cover. Expense out of pocket was extreme."

• JPa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 24, 2018

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Restasis single-use vials help my dry eyes. I’ve been using the single-use vials for a few years now. They do tend to make my eyes burn about half the time, but they still help. My complaint and low rating is because of the multi-dose bottles they’re switching to. The bottle is terrible. It takes forever to get a drop, which is extremely hard on dry eyes. Then, you don’t get just one drop. You get 2 or 3. Since they’re apparently conserving money, even one drop extra means you’ll run out of prescription before you should. This bottle needs a makeover. It also needs extra liquid. No one can get just one drop each time and make certain that one drop hits their eye as it should!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 4, 2022

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I started Cequa about 9 months ago, and it seems that my dry eye is worse. I kept at it for the full 9 months, hoping things would improve. But my eyes feel very gritty at night, almost like I have sand under my eyelids, and the burning after instilling the drops is not pleasant. I stopped the Cequa for about a week, and the burning and gritty feeling went away. So I guess the Cequa drops do not work for my dry eye and made things worse. I would rather have some dry eyes but not the burning and gritty feeling - the gritty feeling would wake me up and keep me awake all night, and nothing would help."

• sse...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 23, 2023

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Used this medication for around one month for dry eyes due to a chemical burn in my left eye. This medication, by far, has to be the worst dry eye drop on the market. It made my left eye so itchy, and the foreign body sensation drove me up a wall, having the urge to constantly rub my eye and the burning sensation as well. Stopped the medication, and my eye is better."

• Lor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2024

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "It is working great for my dry eyes. No burning. My doctor told me to keep it in the refrigerator and use drops cold would keep it from burning. He was right. You do have to administer right away after removing from the refrigerator."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 12, 2015

Cyclosporine ophthalmic "I have been on Restasis for about a year and do not see much improvement. In fact, every time I use it, my eyes burn for about an hour and it blurs my vision. I am still using other moisture drops in my eyes several times a day and the PM eye ointment at night. I will stop using it as I don't see a difference. If there are people out there that cannot afford this medication, ask your doctor for a card that will give you a discount or maybe you can get it for free as I did."

• Spi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2022

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I just started using Restasis a week ago. I have no burning sensation like I did with Xiidra. I have a ways to go to see if it helps me. However, I’m reviewing the multi-use bottle. Who in their right mind designed this disaster! I had to look up how to open and use the eye drops with this ridiculously designed bottle. Seriously. It just kept running down my cheek. So my DIY around this was to use one of the Systane bottles that was fully used. I pulled the top of the dropper off (the bottle is green, which makes it easier to see) and rinsed it out, let it dry, then squeezed the Restasis into it. So much easier to see the tip, and it’s drugstore length. Just FYI. But the architect of this Restasis bottle should be fired!"

• Zoe...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 26, 2024

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I have used Cequa for over a year, and it was a miracle drug. I was told (and they were correct) that it would take 3 months for it to work. I had tried other options (Xiidra and something else) and had no relief for my terrible dry eye. It felt awful waiting for the 3 months. I will say, once it started working, it was great. I had much less issue, although nothing has been as good as before I had dry eye. It has always burned when I apply it. Some days, it can be pretty excruciating, but I realize 10-15 minutes of it compared to my dry eye all day makes it worth it. My doctor suggested putting it in the fridge, which I do, but that is minimally helpful. What does help is putting regular eye drops (Systane, in my case) in first, then about a minute later, putting the Cequa in. That really seems to lessen the sting. My only concern now is it's been a year and a half and it seems to have stopped working. I am really upset since the dry eye is terrible again. Not sure if that's normal."

• Hot...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 27, 2016

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Ten years ago, I went through 7 mo. of chemo for breast cancer. In doing so, my tear ducts were affected as well as my eyes. Both eyes felt as though I had stared at someone welding, only my eyes just got worse. I used eye drops and gels for a couple of months. And then my doctor prescribed Restasis. During the day, I used the drops, and then both eyes would burn for a bit and itch. At night, I used the OTC gel. This gel causes blurred vision, has a cooling effect, and puts the fire out. The Restasis was always kept in a cooler when away from home and in the fridge at home. This seemed to take the burn and itch out about half."

• Ann...
• July 14, 2018

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "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."

• sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2020

For Dry Eye Disease "I only used this for two days and stopped. My doctor gave samples to me and told me to try them out. After only two days, my eyes felt terrible. Burning lasted the whole day for me, and my vision is now blurry. Eyes also feel even drier...it's like I took 1 step forward, 10 steps back. I'm not using this anymore. My eyes feel terrible. I will be sticking to just artificial tears for now."

• CMB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2022

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Very dry eyes for the past 3 years. Tried OTC products, plugs, laser. Ophthalmologist prescribed Restasis 3 months ago. My symptoms have not improved, and I am considering stopping this med. The burning, sensitivity to light, and overall discomfort are awful. Some days it's difficult to read or drive. I understand it can take time to help, but 3 months is simply not acceptable."

• Jud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2018

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I just started Restasis about a week ago. So far, it often irritates my eyes, leaving them burning and slightly red. Using Theratears after 15 minutes helps, but I often use it more than I had been before starting the Rx. I agree with most users that the bottle is horrendous. I have fairly strong hands but need both to get a drop out, and my eyes get even drier from holding the eye under the drop open until I can get it out. There’s no excuse for this. Designing a decent bottle is not rocket science!"

• Ter...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2021

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I'm hoping that eyedrops work! I've bought eye drops that cost a fortune! This will be my 2nd time trying Restasis. I know one thing for sure, these don't make everything you eat taste disgusting! I'm crossing my fingers they work since there are bad reviews. Maybe my insurance is paying again because they don't work, lol. The jury is out, didn't get enough time last time! It's positively horrible when your eyes are blood red and on fire! They don't have a cooling sensation! But that only lasts for a second!"

• Tri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2021

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I started Restasis two weeks ago. The more I use it, the more my eyes burn. I do not feel this medicine is helpful. I read the reviews below and see that most have bad experiences with this medicine, either method. My doctor had to cancel my appointment. I'll call tomorrow and see if she has a better suggestion. I want to mention the eye pads that gave good relief. Shaped to fit over the eyes and strap around the head, heat about 20 seconds in the microwave and place over the eyes for a few seconds. It is comfortable, and my eyes feel clearer and better after that. I will not be using Restasis again. I will probably go back to using Refresh."

• Ell...
• September 23, 2016

For Dry Eye Disease "Have been taking Restasis for dry eyes for two years with no other symptoms than burning until recently. My vision has become blurred, had my glass prescription made stronger, difficulty reading, redness of eyes, and terrible itching. Started to use Refresh Plus, and symptoms are lessening. Will discuss the problem with my ophthalmologist."

• Pip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 5, 2024

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "One drop per eye, 12 hr apart. Easy to use. Initial combination with low steroid drops four times a day for the first month that I’ve had before for allergies. Only a few days in and the first day seemed great. Game changer. I’ve started to get blurry vision and it does sting/burn. I am also getting some headaches, which I don’t know if they’re connected. Will check back in with the optometrist."

• Wis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 9, 2021

For Dry Eye Disease "For years, my eyes leaked like Sam Jackson in that movie, burned constantly, and sometimes it was even painful. I would have a film over my eyes most of the time, and nothing OTC helped. My doc gave me some samples of Cequa, and within 2 weeks, my symptoms were much less severe, and I felt almost NORMAL again. But my insurance does not cover this drug, and currently, there is no generic available. It is unfortunate for me that a product that improved the quality of my life so much cost half as much as my mortgage."

• BGG...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2025

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Just been provided with a 3-month sample from the optometrist. Did not want to take OTC options, noting prevalent issues/recalls. Condition had worsened since the last exam two years ago. Packaging is a little confusing for dosage, with a significant amount left after treatment - had to confirm dosing. Burning after the first application, approximately twenty minutes after. Eyes feel 'oily' - probably just the eyelid movement being eased by the drops, but no discharge and no burning on the second dose. LIMITED exposure to two dosages and understanding not really known if beneficial for three months. Just the timing of this survey. Uncertain on most questions below. Send survey in three months."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 1, 2023

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Been using it for 3 months. No change yet with severe dry eye. It burns my eyes for 30 minutes or so every time I use it. I dread using it twice a day."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 20, 2025

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "It burns my eyes really badly. I feel like it's reduced my vision, rather than produce more tears, except while my eyes are burning."

• kri...
• December 27, 2014

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "I have been using Restasis for about 4 months and really have noticed a huge improvement. It doesn't burn at all."

• NYC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2021

Cyclosporine ophthalmic for Dry Eye Disease "Using for 3 months. The burning comes and goes all day. Makes my nose run. My Dr says keep using, but I’m ready to stop."