Rx Perspectives

Loteprednol Gets the Ointment Treatment

By Samantha Stahl, Assistant Editor

To help aid the treatment of various inflammatory conditions, Bausch & Lomb recently debuted a new addition to the company's loteprednol etabonate line — Lotemax Ointment. The new preparation expands the potential to treat new patients who may have trouble with drops.

Preservative-Free Relief

B+L says that the Lotemax ointment is the first preservative-free topical steroid formulation in the US, a feature that corneal specialist Rajesh Rajpal, MD, of Washington, DC, is very enthusiastic about.

Baush & Lomb's latest loteprednol etabonate preparation comes in a preservative-free ointment, making it convenient for use with children and those with OSD.

“The preservative-free preparation is extremely helpful in the various types of patients we treat as corneal specialists. Some of these patients have toxicity from other medications that they may already be using, many of which often contain preservatives,” he explains.

Because he prefers a steroid with less side effects than dexamethasone, Dr. Rajpal says he likes Lotemax's preparation and safety profile. “I have found it beneficial in patients who had been using Tobradex, since Lotemax doesn't contain an antibiotic and we often don't want the toxicity of Tobramycin.” He also likes to use the ointment with children in need of topical steroids, who commonly “do better with an ointment preparation, since drops may be washed away by reflex tearing.”

As with any steroid, Dr. Rajpal notes that IOP must be closely monitored while using the ointment, particularly if used for longer than 10 days, as well as keeping an eye out for all other usual steroid side effects.

He says that the new preparation is soothing and longer lasting than typical drops, which is an especially positive effect for patients with lid margin disease or ocular surface disease who need more effective moisturizing of the surface. For these patients, he recommends using the product at bedtime, when vision blur is not an issue.

While the ointment can certainly be used perioperatively, Dr. Rajpal has found it most useful for patients who need both the effect of a steroid and the lubricating benefit of an ointment outside of the OR. He notes that blepharitis patients are aided from shortterm use, and those with any degree of ocular surface disease or corneal surface irregularity in need of a steroid can often use the ointment more comfortably than a drop. OM

For more information, visit www.Bausch.com.