NEPAFENAC
About
NEPAFENAC belongs to a group of medicines known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), mainly suggested to relieve eye irritation, pain, and redness after a cataract eye surgery. This medicine is also indicated to reduce the risk of macular oedema, swelling in the back of the eye after cataract surgery in patients dealing with diabetes. Patients often experience redness, itchiness, inflammation, in their eyes for a week, and these symptoms will disappear after a few weeks. Macular oedema is an eye condition that can even cause permanent loss of vision and occurs when blood vessels present in the retina's light-sensitive part, the eye gets leaked.
NEPAFENAC consists of Nepafenac, which blocks the action of prostaglandin H synthase (cyclooxygenase), which is an enzyme required for prostaglandin. These prostaglandins are responsible for causing pain, redness, inflammation in the eyes, so blocking prostaglandins it provides relief in painful eye conditions.
Use NEPAFENAC as prescribed. Your doctor will advise you on how many drops to instill based on your medical condition. Like all medications, NEPAFENAC may cause some undesirable effects; however, not everybody gets them. The most common side effects of using NEPAFENAC include blurred vision, vision change, reduced vision. These unpleasant side effects do not require medical attention and may go during the treatment as the body adjusts to the new medication.
NEPAFENAC can not be used by the person who is allergic to it or has diabetes, arthritis, or a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder such as haemophilia and dry eye syndrome. NEPAFENAC should not be used for more than 14 days after cataract surgery unless suggested by the doctor. You are recommended to remove the contact lenses before using NEPAFENAC and reinsert them after 15 minutes as it may change the colour of the lenses. You should avoid touching the eye dropper or placing it directly in the eye. Touching the dropper may contaminate the tip and infect the eye, leading to a serious eye problem.
Uses of NEPAFENAC
Medicinal Benefits
NEPAFENAC comes into the category of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to prevent and relieve the pain and inflammation after eye surgery (cataract). It is also used to reduce the risk of macular oedema after cataract eye surgery. NEPAFENAC consists of Nepafenac. NEPAFENAC block the action of prostaglandin H synthase (cyclooxygenase), which is an enzyme required for prostaglandin. These prostaglandins are responsible for causing pain, redness, inflammation in the eyes, so blocking prostaglandins provides relief in these conditions.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of NEPAFENAC
- Blurred vision
- Change in vision
- Decrease in vision
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
A person is not allowed to use NEPAFENAC if they are allergic to it as it may cause unwanted reactions in their eyes. Before using this medicine, tell your doctor if have dry eye syndrome, arthritis, diabetes, or a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder such as hemophilia. The use of NEPAFENAC is restricted not for longer than 14 days after the surgical procedure unless recommended by the doctor. This is an FDA pregnancy category C drug that is not known whether harm an unborn baby so it is best to consult with a doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: NEPAFENAC may interact with some medications like blood thinners (warfarin), antiplatelet medications (clopidogrel), corticosteroid drugs (prednisone), other eye medications (corticosteroid eye drops). Tell your doctor before using these medicines.
Drug-Food Interaction: No interaction reported
Drug-Disease Interaction: NEPAFENAC is not used in patients who are dealing with diabetes, dry eye syndrome, an allergy to any other eye drops, arthritis, a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder, such as hemophilia.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionOne should avoid consuming alcohol as it is unknown this drug interacts with alcohol or not.
Pregnancy
cautionDuring pregnancy, NEPAFENAC can only be used when prescribed during the first 6 months by the doctor. This medicine can not be used during the last 3 months of pregnancy as it may harm to a fetus.
Breast Feeding
cautionNEPAFENAC can only be used in breastfeeding women if suggested by the doctor as it is unknown whether this drug passes into breast milk.
Driving
unsafeNEPAFENAC may cause blurred vision, so one should avoid driving after using this medicine.
Liver
safe if prescribedNEPAFENAC is safe to use if prescribed by the doctor.
Kidney
safe if prescribedNEPAFENAC is safe to use if prescribed by the doctor.
Children
unsafeNEPAFENAC is not approved to use in children younger than 10 years old.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Include food that is rich in vitamin C like citrus (oranges, grapefruit, limes, etc.), tomatoes, kiwifruit, broccoli, etc as it may improve eye health.
- Smoking is bad for health especially for the lungs and eyes so one should quit smoking as it creates chemicals that harm the cells of the eyes.
- Immediately after the cataract surgery, you are provided a pair of sunglasses to wear that helps to minimize any glare and keep eyes protected from bright lights, so wear them properly and stay away from fluorescent lights.
Special Advise
- If you don't notice any improvement in hazy or blurry vision or eye pain/inflammation or significant discomfort in the days following this visit, you should immediately report this to your eye surgeon.
- Prolonged use of NEPAFENAC may result in keratitis, resulting in corneal thinning, corneal erosion, corneal ulceration or corneal perforation. These events can be sight-threatening, and so cornea should be closely observed by the eye surgeon while using NEPAFENAC.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Complication after cataract surgery: After cataract surgery, a patient might experience cloudy, wavy, distorted vision, blurry or distorted. It can take some time for your visual system to adjust to removing the cataract and adapting to the new transplanted intraocular lens. Sometimes you may also observe red, dry eyes and bloodshot eyes due to temporary damage of the blood vessels on the surface of the white part of the eye (sclera) during cataract surgery. These sensations subside as the eye heals with time.
FAQs
Yes, a contaminated dropper can cause serious infections in the eye that may even lead to lead to serious vision problems. A person should avoid touching the tip of the NEPAFENAC dropper or if touched then they need to use a new dropper.
To make sure if this medicine is safe for you, do not use this medicine if you have diabetes, dry eye syndrome, an allergy to any other eye drops, arthritis, a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder, such as hemophilia.
No, you can not use NEPAFENAC while wearing the contact lenses as firstly you need to remove them and then can drop the medicine in the eye. This medicine contains a preservative that can discolor soft contact lenses so one should wait for at least 15 minutes after applying for medicine before putting back their contact lenses.
You should not use this medicine for longer than 14 days after having cataract surgery unless suggested by the doctor.
Yes, one can keep using this medicine for the treatment of glaucoma while a person should use only the eye medications that their doctor has prescribed.
