What is Prednisolone Acetate? Uses, warnings & side effects

Follow the prescriber’s instructions.

Please read and follow any instruction sheet given by the eye doctor or clinic.

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after applying the drops.

Remove any contact lenses.

Shake the bottle well before applying a dose.

When administering doses, do not let the tip of the bottle touch anything, including your hands or eyes. 

Lie down or tilt your head back.

Pull down the lower lid of your eye with your index finger to form a pocket. 

Hold the dropper close to your eye with the other hand. 

Squeeze one or two drops into the pocket made between your lower lid and eyeball. 

Close your eyes. Place your index finger over the inner corner of your eye for one minute.

Use a tissue to blot up any excess liquid.

Repeat this process for the other eye if needed.

Immediately replace the cap on the bottle.

Wait for at least 15 minutes before putting contact lenses back in.

Store the closed bottle upright at room temperature. Do not freeze.

The instruction sheet provided by the doctor or clinic may include instructions about missed doses. If it doesn’t, ask the eye doctor for advice.

Most eye doctors will recommend that a missed dose be taken as soon as possible.

If it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose.

Take the next dose at its regular time.

Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

This medicine is not right for everyone. 

Do not use it if you have:

• Untreated eye infections

• Known allergies to prednisolone or other corticosteroids

Tell any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you that you are using this medicine.

Prednisolone acetate is used for serious eye problems that require regular follow-up visits with the eye doctor. Keep all appointments.

Before any drug is prescribed, the eye doctor will check for pre-existing eye conditions, including: 

• Infections

• High eye pressure

• Glaucoma

• Cataracts

Tell the prescriber if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have had herpes or tuberculosis infections.

Prednisolone acetate eye drops can cause serious problems, including:

• Eye infection

• Slow eye wound healing

• Corneal ulcer

• Glaucoma (with long-term use)

• Cataracts (with long-term use)

• Thinning of the cornea or outer eye surface (with long-term use)

When applied incorrectly, prednisolone acetate eye drops and other eye drop medications can transmit infections to the eye. Be extra careful to protect the medicine from contamination. 

• Do not touch the tip of the bottle to any object, including the eyes and hands.

• Do not share this medicine with other people.

Call the prescriber if symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.

Do not suddenly stop using prednisolone eye drops without talking to the prescriber first. The doctor may need to slowly decrease the dose before the drug can be discontinued altogether.

Prednisolone acetate eye drops have no significant drug interactions.

If the doctor has prescribed other eye drops, apply the prednisolone acetate dose at least five minutes before or five minutes after applying other eye drop medications.