What can
you /we do
I. You have been using preserved eyedrops for some time and are wondering what you should do,
then you should consider the following options:
-
Ask you
ophthalmologist to prescribe you a preservative-free version of the
same product or the same active substance, which may exist in a
unpreserved form.
-
Ask your
ophthalmologist to do regular eye exams to check the eventual
deleterious
consequences of preservatives.
-
Be very vigilant and
report all your tolerance problems with preservatives to your eye
doctor.
-
Discuss with your
ophthalmologist other treatment alternatives without preservatives for
your problem.
-
If you still have
tolerance problems, consult another
ophthalmologist regarding the potential risk of long term use of the
drops you're currently taking.
-
Some pharmacies
compound preservative-free version of some drops, ask them if you can
have preservative-free version of your treatment.
However, do not stop your treatment unilaterally without first consulting your
ophthalmologist because you fear the risks of preservatives. In some
case, stopping a treatment before completion - notably with antibiotics
- may have catastrophic consequences. But do report the tolerance
problems you may have with the preserved drops to your eye doctor (most
of the time, the preservative rather than the active substance is the
causative agent).
II. You need to use
eyedrops but you have developed a
sensitivity to the preservative, or you have
developed serious problems after using preserved drops, you would like to have a
preservative-free options available for a particular treatment, then
consider the following options:
-
Send a message to
the pharmaceutical company in question or the drug's laboratory /
retailer stating your problems and requesting a preservative-free
solution for similar cases.
-
Send us a
testimonial on your case to develop the awareness on the
consequences of the overwhelming use of preservative in eye drops (especially
concerning persons who cannot tolerate preserved drops and can't find
alternatives for their treatments).
This is what we call the 'Preservative Paradox!
Preserve
our Eyes not our Drops!
▲
copyright ©
Keratos 2007
