Steponme

So, I'm using Restasis (ultra expensive eye drops) and it comes in individual single-use vials. Each vial has about 9-10 drops in it, but the instruction says to use only 4 drops per day (1 drop in each eye, twice daily), which means more than half would be WASTEFULLY discarded. This type of eye drops is more expensive than Viagra; that gives you an idea. They could easily put about 5 drops in each vial and give users double the amount of use, instead of wasting by discarding.

My question to S2020 or other experts is: can I just save the rest of the vial in a tightly closed medicine bottle for use the next day? Would anything be affected, such as its effectiveness, distillity, etc.? It wouldn't be dirty or anything, because a medicine bottle is very clean and air-tightly closed.

I have a few bottles of regular OTC moisturizing eye drops that have expired for a few months, but still unopened. Can I still use them? Most of those eye drops have an expiration date of 1 year, which I think is a marketing scheme to get customers to buy more once expired. Let's face it, they should have a shelf life of much longer - at least a few years.

Anyway, thank you!

ahrmike

drink more water?
lol, jk. good luck

SgtB

I see no reason why it wouldn't keep over night in the fridge. Just stick the vile in a ziploc and store it upright.

Nate4635

Well, I had lasik at the beginning of June, and I've been taking Restasis since then. I've just used as needed and put the cap back on. 1 vial is good for a few days. I figured since the cap went back on, thats what it was designed to do?

Steponme

Uh, once you've twisted off the vial's cap, there's no way to put it back on; it's not like a bottle cap. I store the leftover upright in a closed medicinal bottle at room temp. It'd be nice to hear S2020's opinion though.

S2020

there's an answer for this but I have to
1. see emergency pt right now
2. take wife to dinner
will type more later.

don2007

Do the instructions say to discard the vial at the end of the day?

evil MS3

this has some ok info

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=7237

check the last post that includes a response from the maker of the drug

Steponme

Wow, thank you!!! Very informative.

And I thought Restasis was expensive at $5/vial (per day). For comparison, Viagra is only $3-4/pill.

S2020

sorry for the delay.
crazy night then I had surgery this AM followed by a crazy day.

1. Restasis is preservative free so it can spoil once it's opened. Think of it as food left outside. if the tip is kept cleaned (most commonly soiled by touching tip to eye lid, finger, or other things) then it should stay "good" for a couple of days.
2. you can save the vials but doing so put you at slightly higher risk for eye infection. effectiveness is unchanged.
3. OTC meds should be good after expiration date if it was kept cool (not cold).

there's an interesting story on how expiration date is given to meds, will look for it later.

if you think it's too costly, consider punctal plugs.

OK... gotta go do a little surgery