Dosing & Uses
Dosage Forms & Strengths
ophthalmic solution
- 0.24%
Allergic Conjunctivitis
Indicated for ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis
Instill 1 drop in each affected eye BID (~8 hr apart)
Dosage Forms & Strengths
ophthalmic solution
- 0.24%
Allergic Conjunctivitis
Indicated for ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis
<2 years: Safety and efficacy not established
≥2 years: Instill 1 drop in each affected eye BID (~8 hr apart)
Adverse Effects
1-10%
Hyperemia (1-7%)
Instillation site pain (1-7%)
Reduced visual acuity (1-7%)
Warnings
Contraindications
None
Cautions
Care should be taken not to touch the eyelids or surrounding areas with the dropper tip of the bottle or tip of the single-use container in order to avoid injury to the eye and to prevent contaminating the tip and solution; keep the bottle closed when not in use; discard the single- use container after using in each eye
Advise patient to not wear contact lenses if their eye is red
Do not instill drops while wearing contact lenses; remove contacts before instillation; may be reinserted 10 minutes after administration; benzalkonium chloride (preservative) may be absorbed by soft contact lenses
Not for treatment of contact lens-related irritation
Pregnancy
Pregnancy
No adequate or well-controlled studies of cetirizine ophthalmic in pregnant women
Use in pregnancy only if potential benefit justifies potential risk to fetus
Lactation
Unknown if ophthalmic cetirizine distributed in human breast milk; orally administered cetirizine is excreted in human breast milk
Consider the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding along with the mother’s clinical need for the drug, and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or from the underlying maternal condition
Pregnancy Categories
A: Generally acceptable. Controlled studies in pregnant women show no evidence of fetal risk.
B: May be acceptable. Either animal studies show no risk but human studies not available or animal studies showed minor risks and human studies done and showed no risk. C: Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done. D: Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk. X: Do not use in pregnancy. Risks involved outweigh potential benefits. Safer alternatives exist. NA: Information not available.Pharmacology
Mechanism of Action
Histamine-1 receptor antagonist; inhibits histamine release from mast cells, decreases chemotaxis, and inhibits eosinophil activation
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Formulary
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