From the Guidelines
For itchy eyes, the most effective prescription medication is a dual-action agent such as olopatadine (Pataday, Patanol) or ketotifen (Alaway, Zaditor), which combines antihistamine and mast cell stabilizer activities, providing rapid relief of symptoms within 30 minutes 1. When considering treatment options, it's essential to weigh the benefits and risks of each medication. Dual-action agents are generally more effective in preventing or treating ocular itching than other ocular agents, making them a suitable choice for acute and longer-term treatment of allergic conjunctivitis symptoms. Some key points to consider when using prescription eye drops for itchy eyes include:
- Dual-action agents like olopatadine (Pataday, Patanol) or ketotifen (Alaway, Zaditor) are effective first-line treatments, blocking histamine receptors to reduce allergic symptoms 1.
- Prescription corticosteroid eye drops such as loteprednol (Alrex) may be prescribed for more severe cases, but should only be used short-term due to potential side effects like increased eye pressure 1.
- Mast cell stabilizers like cromolyn sodium (Crolom) can be used for prophylactic or longer-term treatment of chronic ocular allergies, but may require several days of treatment before optimal symptom relief is achieved 1.
- When using any eye drops, it's crucial to follow proper application techniques, such as washing your hands before application and avoiding touching the dropper tip to prevent contamination, to ensure safe and effective treatment.
From the FDA Drug Label
Use Temporarily relieves itchy eyes due to pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander. Uses temporarily relieves itchy eyes due to pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander The prescription medications ketotifen (OPHTH) 2 and olapatadine (OPHTH) 3 can be used to temporarily relieve itchy eyes due to various allergens, including:
- Pollen
- Ragweed
- Grass
- Animal hair
- Dander
From the Research
Prescription Medications for Itchy Eyes
- Itchy eyes can be a symptom of allergic conjunctivitis, which can be treated with topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers 4, 5, 6, 7.
- Some prescription medications that can be used to treat itchy eyes include:
- Alcaftadine, which has H4 receptor inverse agonism, anti-inflammatory, and mast cell stabilizing activities 4.
- Levocabastine and azelastine, which are more effective than placebo in treating allergic conjunctivitis symptoms 4.
- Olopatadine, which is a dual-action antihistamine and mast cell stabilizer that is commonly used in Europe and the United States for mild subtypes of allergic conjunctivitis 4, 5, 6, 7.
- Ketotifen, which is a dual-action antihistamine and mast cell stabilizer that can reduce the expression of cell adhesion molecules and inflammatory markers in conjunctival surface cells 6, 8.
- High-concentration olopatadine (0.77%) has been shown to have a longer duration of action and better efficacy on ocular itch compared to low-concentration olopatadine (0.2%) 4.
- Olopatadine has been compared to other medications, such as fluticasone furoate nasal spray, and has been shown to be statistically and clinically superior in relieving signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis 5.
- Ketotifen and olopatadine have been compared in a clinical trial, and both were found to be effective in reducing clinical scores and expression of cell adhesion molecules and inflammatory markers in conjunctival surface cells 6.