Cequa Side Effects

Generic name: cyclosporine ophthalmic

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Feb 5, 2024.

Note: This document contains side effect information about cyclosporine ophthalmic. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply to the brand name Cequa.

Applies to cyclosporine ophthalmic: ophthalmic emulsion, ophthalmic solution.

Serious side effects of Cequa

Along with its needed effects, cyclosporine ophthalmic (the active ingredient contained in Cequa) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking cyclosporine ophthalmic:

Less common

Bladder pain
bloody or cloudy urine
body aches or pain
chills
cough
difficult, burning, or painful urination
ear congestion
fever
headache
loss of voice
lower back or side pain
runny or stuffy nose
sneezing
sore throat
trouble breathing
unusual tiredness or weakness

Other side effects of Cequa

Some side effects of cyclosporine ophthalmic may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Burning, pain, itching, or other discomfort of the eye
pain upon instillation of drops
redness of the white part of your eyes or inside of your eyelids

Less common

Blurred vision
clear or yellow fluid from the eye
difficulty with reading
eye irritation
feeling of having something in the eye
halos around lights
headache
itching skin
redness, swelling, or itching of the eyelid
sticky or matted eyelashes
stinging
watery eye

For Healthcare Professionals

Applies to cyclosporine ophthalmic: ophthalmic emulsion, ophthalmic solution.

General

The most commonly reported side effects were ocular burning, eye pain, eye irritation, lacrimation, ocular hyperemia, and eyelid erythema.^[Ref]

Ocular

Very common (10% or more): Ocular burning

Common (1% to 10%): Eyelid erythema, increased lacrimation, ocular hyperemia, blurred vision, eyelid edema, conjunctival hyperemia, eye irritation, eye pain

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Ocular bacterial keratitis, ocular herpes zoster, conjunctival edema, lacrimal disorder, eye discharge, eye pruritus, conjunctival irritation, conjunctivitis, foreign body sensation in eyes, deposit eye, keratitis, blepharitis, corneal decompensation, chalazion, corneal infiltrates, corneal scar, eyelid pruritus, iridocyclitis, epiphora, stinging^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Postmarketing side effects include: hypersensitivity (eye swelling, urticaria, rare cases of severe angioedema, face swelling, tongue swelling, pharyngeal edema and dyspnea).^[Ref]