Alaway Eye Drops
It is antihistamine eye drop that is used to treat allergic conjunctivitis and decrease itching, redness and tearing. It comes in a multi dose vial with 10 mL capacity.
Alaway Eye Drops Ingredients
Active ingredients
Ketotifen Fumarate ophthalmic solution which is the main antihistamine medication of Alaway.
Inactive ingredients
Benzalkorium Chloride, 0.01%, glycerin, sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid and water for injection.
Preservative
Benzalkorium Chloride.
What is ketotifen fumarate?
Ketotifen is an antihistamine medication which acts on two ways. First way, it will act on histamine receptors which are special sites on the cell membrane that histamine will attach to them to produce its effects.
The second way, it can act on special body cells called mast cells to inhibit the release of histamine. Histamine can cause redness, odema and itching which are the symptoms of allergy.
In allergic conjunctivitis, Ketotifen is used to treat itching, redness and tearing that are caused by dust, pollen, animals, or other allergens.
When not to use Alaway Eye Drops:
1 - If you are allergic to ketotifen.
2- Don’t use it when you wear contact lens and you complain of irritation because irritation can be caused by dry eye and this eye drop is not for dry eye treatment or you might have infection related to contact lens and in this case eye drops will give you no benefits and you should visit your eye doctor to rule out any infection.
3- When u regularly use this medication for allergy and you wear contact lens, you should remove contact lens before you use the medication, because benzalkonium chloride may cause discoloration of contact lenses. You can apply the medication and wait for 10 minutes to wear your contact lens.
4- In case you use multiple eye drops, don’t use this medication with other eye drops immediately, you should wait for 10 minutes at least between each medication.
5- If you are pregnant, this medication can cause harmful to your fetus.
6- When you are breast feeding. It is not know if it can cause harmful to nursing baby.
How do you know if you are allergic to ketotifen fumarate?
Allergy to ketotifen or any other medications can be mild or severe. Mild ketotifen allergy will cause localized symptoms and signs while severe allergic reaction can cause generalized or systemic symptoms and in both condition you should seek medical help from your eye doctor.
Generalized or systemic allergic symptoms:
• Hives.
• Breathing difficulties.
• Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or neck.
Localized allergic symptoms:
• Burning sensation and irritation.
• Itchy eyes.
• Eye redness.
• Photophobia or increase light sensitivity.
• Eyelid swelling.
• Eye pain.
• Excessive tearing.
• Blurred vision which can be due to excessive tearing.