What is it used for?
- Pain and inflammation of the eye.
How does it work?
Acular eye drops contain the active ingredient ketorolac trometamol, which is a type of medicine called a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
Ketorolac trometamol works by blocking the action of a substance in the body called cyclo-oxygenase (COX). Cyclo-oxygenase is involved in producing prostaglandins, in response to injury or certain diseases, such as arthritis. These prostaglandins cause pain, swelling and inflammation. Ketorolac trometamol blocks the production of these prostaglandins and so is effective at relieving pain and inflammation.
Acular eye drops are used to treat pain and swelling after eye surgery.
- Acular eye drops may cause your vision to blur temporarily after you have applied them. Do not drive or operate machinery until this has worn off. This product may cause temporary blurring of vision. Do not drive or operate machinery until this has worn off.
- The preservative benzalkonium chloride that is found in Acular eye drops may be absorbed by soft contact lenses and discolour them. If you wear soft contact lenses you should remove them before putting in the drops. Do not put your lenses back in for at least 15 minutes after using the drops.
- As these eye drops reduce inflammation they may mask the symptoms of eye infections, and infections could therefore appear or get worse without being noticed. If you have an eye infection or are at risk of getting an eye infection, your doctor will usually prescribe you antibiotic eye drops as well to avoid this problem.
Use with caution in
- Eye infections.
- People with blood clotting disorders.
- People taking medicines to prevent blood clots (anticoagulants, eg warfarin).
- People with thinning or erosion of the cornea.
- People who have had recurrent peptic ulcers or bleeding from the gut.
Not to be used in
- People in whom aspirin or other NSAIDs, eg ibuprofen, cause allergic reactions such as asthma attacks, itchy rash (urticaria) or nasal inflammation (rhinitis).
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
- The safety of these eye drops for use during pregnancy has not been established. It should not be used during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester because there is a possibility that the ketorolac could be absorbed into the bloodstream and may delay labour, increase the length of labour and cause complications in the newborn baby. Seek further medical advice form your doctor.
- This medicine may pass into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
Very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- Eye irritation.
- Burning sensation in the eye.
Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)
- Inflammation of small areas on the surface of the eye (keratitis punctata).
- Eye pain or stinging.
- Itching of the eye.
- Swelling of the eyelid(s) due to excess fluid retention (oedema).
- Red eye due to excess blood supply (hyperaemia).
Rare (affect between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10,000 people)
- Corneal thinning or ulcers.
- Blurred vision.
- Dry eye.
- Increased tear flow.
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can this medicine affect other medicines?
It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Likewise, always ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines during treatment with this one, to check that the combination is safe.
If you are using other eye drops in combination with Acular eye drops, you should administer them at least 5 minutes apart, to prevent the second drop washing away the first. Use eye gels or ointments last.
Ketorolac eye drops are not known to affect any other medicines.
Other medicines containing the same active ingredient