Ketotifen Fumarate

Last Reviewed: Nov 08, 2024

Warnings


Ketotifen (Zaditor) Risks, Warnings, and Complications


Ketotifen can cause or worsen health problems in some people. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about other treatment options for your condition if you are at an increased risk of complications from ketotifen. Some of the risks of ketotifen use include:

  • ALLERGIC REACTIONS: Do not use ketotifen eye drops if you are allergic to any of the active or inactive ingredients in this medication.

  • CONTACT LENS USE: Remove contact lenses before applying ketotifen to your eyes. Wait at least 10 minutes before reinserting a contact lens into a treated eye. Do not use ketotifen eye drops to treat irritation caused by contact lenses.

  • RISK OF EYE INFECTION: Be careful not to touch the ketotifen dropper tip to anything, including your finger or eye. Contamination of the dropper tip can lead to eye infections. Replace the bottle cap immediately after use. Do not use ketotifen eye drops if the solution appears cloudy or changes color.


Precautions Before Starting Ketotifen (Zaditor)

Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to ketotifen, any of the active or inactive ingredients in ketotifen ophthalmic solution, or any other drugs. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible drug interactions between ketotifen and your other medications.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Ketotifen may not be safe for people with certain health conditions.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, are planning a pregnancy, or are breast-feeding.

Precautions During Use of Ketotifen (Zaditor)

Keep all your healthcare appointments while using ketotifen. 

Do not wear contact lenses during treatment with ketotifen eye drops if your eyes are red. If your eyes are not red, you can continue wearing contact lenses, but make sure you remove them before instilling the medicine and wait 10 minutes before reinserting them. Ketotifen eye drops contain a preservative called benzalkonium chloride, which is absorbed by soft contact lenses.

Tell your healthcare professional if you become pregnant while on ketotifen.

Ketotifen (Zaditor) Drug Interactions

Using ketotifen with certain other medications can affect how the medicines work. Possible drug interactions between medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse events. Your doctor may change the dose of your medications, switch you to a different medication, and/or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions between ketotifen and your other medicines.

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, non-prescription medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription and over-the-counter medicines.