Generic name:lotepredol etabonate
Brand names: Lotemax, Lotemax SM
Dosage form: eye gel, eye ointment, eye (suspension) drops
Drug class:Ophthalmic steroids
What is Lotemax?
Lotemax and Lotemax SM (loteprednol etabonate) are corticosteroid medications used to help treat swelling (edema) and inflammation of the eyes.
They works by blocking your body's inflammatory response, which helps reduce symptoms such as pain, swelling and redness.
Lotemax comes as an eye gel, eye ointment and eye drops. Lotemax SM also comes as an eye gel, but it contains extra ingredients that help to stabilize particles smaller than a micron - submicron (SM) particles. This helps you to absorb more of the medication because Lotemax SM is made to spread better and stay on your eyes for longer.
What is Lotemax used for?
Lotemax eye drops are used to decrease swelling and inflammation caused by conditions such as allergic conjunctivitis, acne rosacea, superficial punctate keratitis, herpes zoster keratitis, iritis, cyclitis and selected infective conjunctivitides.
Lotemax eye drops are also used to treat post-operative inflammation after ocular surgery.
Lotemax gel and ointment, and Lotemax SM are also used to treat post-operative inflammation and pain after ocular surgery.
Important information
Lotemax and Lotemax SM may cause serious side effects.
- Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase
- Prolonged use of corticosteroids may result in glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, defects in visual acuity and fields of vision. Steroids should be used with caution in the presence of glaucoma. If Lotemax and Lotemax SM are used for 10 days or longer, IOP should be monit..
