Eye drops, fish oil tablets and punctal plugs: No, these aren’t garage bands you never heard of. They all treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. So much sexier, right? Turns out, there are only two prescription eye drops approved for long-term use: Restasis from Allergan and Xiidra from Shire. Another Rx medication could soon give them a run for their money — Novaliq’s CyclASol, a clear, ophthalmic solution of cyclosporine entering Phase 3 studies. Dry eye disease can be complex, so the good news is there are a wide range of options available depending on the severity. Whatever your preference or your patient’s needs, there is a solution that works.
Oasis Medical
Oasis TEARS Lubricant Eye Drops, Oasis LID & LASH Eyelid & Lash Cleansing Pads, Oasis REST & RELIEF Hot & Cold Eye Mask
(844) 820-8940 oasismedical.com
The Mentholatum Company
Rohto Dry-Aid Dry Eye Relief Lubricant Eye Drops
(877) 636-2677 rohtoeyedrops.com
Allergan
Restasis MultiDose Gel Drops
(844) 469-8327 restasis.com
Beaver-Visitec
Extend Absorbable Synthetic Implants
(866) 906-8080 beaver-visitec.com
Shire
Xiidra (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution)
(844) 694-4747 xiidra.com
Lacrivera (a division of Stephens Instruments)
VeraPlug FlexFit Punctal Occluder
(855) 857-0518 lacrivera.com
Bausch + Lomb
Lacrisert prescription lubricant
(800) 828-9030 bausch.com
Smart Ways to Sell Dry Eye Products
Dr. Jeffry Gerson
GRIN EYE CARE,OLATHE, KS
If a patient comes in with symptoms of dry eye we start with a prescription for eye drops like Restasis or Xiidra they can pick up at a pharmacy. I usually pair the drop with a steroid like Lotemax which can offer immediate relief. I ask the patient to come back in six weeks and generally there’s improvement. Restasis and Xiidra on their own can take several weeks to take effect so using them with a steroid is common practice. Some people don’t want to take medicine or they find Rx drops too expensive, so I jump into supplements. I suggest patients use nutritional products such as a fish oil like Nordic Naturals or a tear drop like EZ Tears. For eyelid-based dry eye, I routinely put in punctal plugs to make tears stay in their eyes longer. Both Restasis and Xiidra offer rebate programs, so patients with insurance need only pay between $30-$40 a month. If they don’t have insurance and have to pay $300 a month, then I suggest Serum Tears. Patients go to a lab to get their blood drawn and centrifuged to separate the blood components. It’s mixed with saline and diluted into a bottle of preserved artificial tears that can be kept in a freezer at home for about $100 a month. I usually find something that will work so finances are not a limiting factor.
Dr. Michael Cooper SOLINSKY EYECARE, WEST HARTFORD, CT
For many of my mild to moderate dry eye disease patients, artificial tears alone, or in combination with other therapeutic treatments, are often my first line of therapy to minimize visual fluctuations, dryness, and related discomfort. However, the effects of some artificial tears can often be short-lived, only providing temporary relief and require repeated instillations. I have been recommending Rohto Dry-aid to many of my dry eye patients because it has been shown to be fast-acting. It can offer consistent and continuous dry eye relief and can protect the ocular surface throughout the day.
This article originally appeared in the January 2018 edition of INVISION.