{"id":629663,"date":"2024-09-05T15:39:15","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T19:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=629663"},"modified":"2024-10-25T09:45:58","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:45:58","slug":"dupixent-eye-side-effects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/dupixent-eye-side-effects\/","title":{"rendered":"Dupixent eye side effects: What they are and why they happen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is one of the most common inflammatory skin conditions in the world. <\/span>Hundreds of millions of people worldwide<\/span><\/a> have to deal with the disease’s bouts of red, itchy, flaky skin, so it’s no wonder there’s a demand for effective medications. <\/span>Dupixent<\/span><\/a> (dupilumab) is one of the more recent options. It’s a <\/span>monoclonal antibody<\/span><\/a> drug that’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat and prevent eczema’s most bothersome symptoms. Although it can provide significant relief, it might also come with side effects—including ones that affect the eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not everyone will experience these adverse effects while taking Dupixent, but they’re possible. Read on for details on Dupixent and eye problems, including ways to manage them.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Dupixent works in the body<\/span><\/h2>\n

Dupixent is a <\/span>biologic drug<\/span><\/a>, which means it’s created from living cells rather than synthetic chemicals. Biologics are designed to target specific immune system proteins that can cause certain reactions. For Dupixent, those proteins are interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, which trigger skin inflammation and other symptoms common with atopic dermatitis.<\/span><\/p>\n

The immune system releases those proteins in response to potential allergens entering the body. While eczema’s exact cause is unclear, some researchers <\/span>see it as an immune system and skin barrier condition<\/span><\/a>, where the skin’s protective layers are more permeable than usual, allowing allergens to pass through. This causes the immune system to overreact, leading to skin irritation. By blocking interleukins-4 and -13, Dupixent helps curb this immune reaction, reducing or preventing the symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Administered as a subcutaneous injection, Dupixent isn’t a broad immunosuppressant like some biologics, so it doesn’t make patients more susceptible to serious infections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does Dupixent cause eye problems?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Interleukins-4 and -13 do more than just fight cellular invaders. They have multiple jobs in the body, and for interleukin-13, those jobs include stimulating goblet cells—which regulate mucus production on the surfaces of the eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

When goblet cells can’t keep the eyes lubricated, it can lead to various ocular surface diseases, including <\/span>pink eye<\/span><\/a> (conjunctivitis), eyelid swelling (<\/span>blepharitis<\/span><\/a>), corneal inflammation (keratitis), eye pruritus, and dry eye. Conjunctivitis is the most common side effect of Dupixent reported in clinical trials, according to <\/span>Amy Huang, MD<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist with <\/span>Medical Offices of Manhattan<\/span><\/a> and contributor to <\/span>LabFinder<\/span><\/a>. In <\/span>those clinical trials<\/span><\/a>, 16% of patients reported conjunctivitis over a 52-week treatment period, making it the most prevalent side effect aside from injection site reactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some outside studies have shown even higher rates of Dupixent eye side effects. For example, <\/span>a systematic review from the American Academy of Dermatology<\/span><\/a> found that conjunctivitis is the most commonly reported side effect of Dupixent overall, appearing in around 26% of subjects. Another <\/span>study published in 2021<\/span><\/a> found an incidence of 32% among subjects for dupilumab-associated ocular surface diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s confusing for patients is that these side effects don’t always appear right away, according to <\/span>Yuna Rapoport, MD<\/span><\/a>, the founder and CEO of <\/span>Manhattan Eye<\/span><\/a>. “The symptoms can come on either upon initiation of the medication or even when patients have been on the medication for years,” she says. However, she adds, “It does typically occur one to seven days after the injection.”<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Dupixent eye side effects<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Other Dupixent side effects<\/span><\/h2>\n

Eye issues make up a significant chunk of the most common adverse effects, but there are a few others to know. Aside from ocular conditions, <\/span>common side effects of dupilumab<\/span><\/a> treatment include:<\/span><\/p>\n