Restasis generic availability, cost, and more

In this article:

• Is there a generic for Restasis?
• Brand-name vs. generic Restasis (cyclosporine)
• How much is generic Restasis?
• Brand vs. generic Restasis prices
• What are the off-label uses for Restasis?
• How to switch from Restasis to cyclosporine

In this article

• Is there a generic for Restasis?
• Brand-name vs. generic Restasis (cyclosporine)
• How much is generic Restasis?
• Brand vs. generic Restasis prices
• What are the off-label uses for Restasis?
• How to switch from Restasis to cyclosporine

Restasis is a medication for your eyes used to treat chronic dry eye disease. Most people taking Restasis have a condition called keratoconjunctivitis sicca or an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in certain parts of the body, including in the eyes. In both cases, the eyes are unable to produce a normal amount of tears. The active ingredient in Restasis, cyclosporine, helps suppress any overactive immune response causing eye inflammation and stimulates the eye to produce more tears.

Without insurance, most people can expect to pay nearly $800 for a 30-day supply of brand-name Restasis eye drops. Because of its high cost, you might be wondering if there is a generic alternative to Restasis and, if so, if it will save you money and work just as well as the brand-name drug. Here’s what you should know.

Is there a generic for Restasis?

Yes. There is a generic form of Restasis: cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2022.

For the most part, cyclosporine is more accessible than brand-name Restasis. Dana Manning, Pharm.D., RD, LDN, associate professor of pharmacy practice at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, says generic drugs can be made by various manufacturers after a brand-name drug’s patent is completed, which usually means generics are cheaper and more likely to be covered by insurance companies at a lower copay. 

“But this isn’t true for all generic drugs,” Dr. Manning says. “The cost and availability of a drug are based on many factors, like manufacturer shortages, wholesaler and distributor practices, and an individual’s insurance coverage, including their deductible and copay plan.”

What are the differences between brand name and generic Restasis?

Brand name and generic Restasis are very similar. According to Dr. Manning, generic drugs are required to demonstrate to the FDA that they have the same active ingredients, safety, and efficacy as their brand-name counterparts before they are allowed on the market. Generic Restasis contains the same active ingredient (cyclosporine) in the same concentration (0.05%) as brand-name Restasis but is less expensive because it can be made by other manufacturers. 

That doesn’t mean the formulation is exactly the same between brand name and generic Restasis, however. “There can be differences in the other ingredients contained in the eye drop, like the emollients, synthetics, and other liquids added,” says Benjamin Bert, MD, an ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

Because these inactive ingredients can change from one generic formulation to another, Dr. Manning says some people may discover they are sensitive or allergic to generic forms of Restasis. You also might feel you respond differently to generic Restasis versus the brand name or simply prefer the feel or experience of using one product over another.

In fact, several studies have tested the efficacy of various generic forms of cyclosporine against brand-name Restasis, finding that not only do different generic brands treat some side effects better than others, but some may even work better overall than the original brand-name drug. For example, two recent studies suggest that CyclAGel and CyclASol (both generic forms of Restasis) may outperform the brand-name drug in terms of symptom improvement.

Restasis and generic Restasis (cyclosporine) at a glance
Uses	Treating chronic dry eye disease (approved);  Treating severe eye allergies and other types of ocular inflammation (off-label)
Standard dosage	One drop per eye twice per day, every 12 hours
Common side effects	Burning, redness, stinging, discharge, and blurred vision
Contraindications	Do not use if you are allergic to any of the ingredients Likely safe during pregnancy Safety during breastfeeding unknown
Other considerations	Not approved for use in kids under 16

Source: AbbVie

How much is generic Restasis?

Many people turn to generic medications to save money. While generic cyclosporine is cheaper than Restasis, the difference isn’t as significant as you might expect: A 30-day supply still costs $777 without insurance.

“Usually when we see a medication go from brand name to generic, it’s less expensive and more readily covered by insurance companies, but that hasn’t been the case with Restasis,” Dr. Bert says. 

If your insurance covers some or all of the costs, you’ll obviously spend far less. And, of course, SingleCare coupons can also help you save money on cyclosporine, with the lowest price costing less than $100 for a 30-day supply.

Brand vs. generic Restasis prices
	Brand-name Restasis	Restasis generic (cyclosporine)
Average cost without insurance	$818 for a 30-day supply of 0.05% single-use vials of Restasis (Typical dosage is two single-use vials per day)	$777 for a 30-day supply of 0.05% single-use vials of cyclosporine
SingleCare’s lowest price	$529 for a 30-day supply of 0.05% single-use vials of Restasis	$93 for a 30-day supply of 0.05% single-use vials of cyclosporine
Free coupons	Restasis coupons	Cyclosporine coupons

 

What are the off-label uses for Restasis?

According to Dr. Bert, the most common off-label uses for Restasis include other conditions triggered by an overactive immune response. Because cyclosporine has immunomodulatory effects, he explains, it can help with conditions like eye allergies or even more serious conditions, like ocular graft versus host disease. 

Restasis may be used off-label for severe inflammatory eye conditions relating to allergies, such as vernal keratoconjunctivitis and atopic keratoconjunctivitis, and also for certain cases of keratitis, or inflammation of the cornea.

How to switch from Restasis to cyclosporine

“Because both drugs contain the same amount of the active ingredient, you can switch immediately from brand-name Restasis to generic cyclosporine without tapering off or slowly transitioning from one drug to the other,” Dr. Bert says. 

If you’re curious about switching, the first step is to talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you understand whether a generic form of the drug is right for you and assist you with troubleshooting any allergic reactions or sensitivities caused by generic versions of the drug. 

Allergies and sensitivities are among the primary reasons why a healthcare provider might not want you to make the switch, according to Dr. Bert. “The main concern with switching is the potential to have an adverse reaction to other inactive ingredients.”

This is important to keep in mind when filling any prescription for Restasis. Dr. Manning says pharmacists may—under law—dispense a generic drug rather than a brand name one unless the prescribing provider says the brand name drug is medically necessary for that patient. In other words, your local pharmacy could give you generic cyclosporine instead of brand-name Restasis, and if you’ve never had a generic version before, it’s possible you could experience a reaction. 

The good news is that stopping Restasis or cyclosporine for a short time (if you need to recover from an allergic reaction or wait for a new prescription to be filled) isn’t likely to disrupt your treatment much. 

“It typically takes a while for cyclosporine to have a noticeable effect—and a while for that effect to fade away once you stop the medication,” Dr. Bert says. He adds that not using your eye drops regularly could cause some of your symptoms to return, but that’s not likely to happen from a small number of missed doses.