Altafluor

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP Last updated on RxList: 9/21/2022
Drug Description

What is Altafluor and how is it used?

Altafluor is a prescription medicine used during Removal of Foreign Bodies, Sutures, or Tonometry and for Deep Ophthalmic Anesthesia. Altafluor may be used alone or with other medications.

Altafluor belongs to a class of drugs called Anesthetics, Ophthalmic; Diagnostics, Ophthalmics.

It is not known if Altafluor is safe and effective in children.

What are the possible side effects of Altafluor?

Altafluor may cause serious side effects including:

  • hives,
  • difficulty breathing,
  • swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat,
  • feeling like there is something in your eye,
  • watery eyes or increased tearing eye,
  • changes in your vision,
  • stinging or burning in the eye,
  • redness of the eye, and
  • swollen eyelids

Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

The most common side effects of Altafluor include:

  • eye irritation,
  • blurred vision,
  • decreased vision, and
  • increased sensitivity to light

Tell the doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of Altafluor. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

DESCRIPTION

Fluorescein Sodium and Benoxinate Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution, USP 0.25%/0.4% is a disclosing agent with rapid anesthetic action of short duration.

Fluorescein Sodium is represented by the following structural formula:

Fluorescein sodium Structural Formula Illustration

Mol. Wt.= 376.27
C20H10Na2O5

Chemical Name: Spiro [isobenzofuran-1 (3H), 9 -[9H] xanthene]-3-one, 3’,6’ dihydroxy, disodium salt.

Benoxinate Hydrochloride is represented by the following structural formula:

Benoxinate Hydrochloride Structural Formula Illustration

Mol. Wt.= 344.88
C17H28N2O3 · HCl

Chemical Name: 2-(Diethylamino) ethyl 4-amino-3butoxybenzoate monohydrochloride

EACH mL CONTAINS: ACTIVES: Fluorescein Sodium 2.5 mg (0.25%), Benoxinate Hydrochloride 4 mg (0.4%); INACTIVES: Povidone, Boric Acid, Water for Injection. Hydrochloric Acid may be added to adjust pH (4.3-5.3). PRESERVATIVE: Chlorobutanol 1%.

Indications & Dosage

INDICATIONS

For procedures requiring a disclosing agent in combination with a topical ophthalmic anesthetic agent such as tonometry, gonioscopy, removal of corneal foreign bodies and other short corneal or conjunctival procedures.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Usual Dosage

Removal of foreign bodies and sutures, and for tonometry, 1 to 2 drops (in single instillations) in each eye before operating.

HOW SUPPLIED

Fluorescein Sodium and Benoxinate Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution, USP 0.25%/0.4% is supplied in a glass bottle with a sterilized dropper in the following size: 5 mL.

Storage

Store in a refrigerator at 2°-8°C (36°-46°F), can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month. Keep tightly closed.

FOR USE IN THE EYES ONLY.

DO NOT USE IF IMPRINTED SEAL ON CAP IS BROKEN OR MISSING.

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

Manufactured: ALTAIRE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. Aquebogue, NY 11931 USA. Revised: May 2014

QUESTION

What causes dry eyes? See Answer
Side Effects & Drug Interactions

SIDE EFFECTS

Occasional temporary stinging, burning and conjunctival redness have been reported after use of ocular anesthetics, as well as a rare, severe, immediate-type, apparent hyper-allergic corneal reaction, with acute, intense and diffuse epithelial keratitis, a gray, ground glass appearance, sloughing of large areas of necrotic epithelium, corneal filaments and sometimes, iritis with descemetitis.

Allergic contact dermatitis with drying and fissuring of the fingertips has been reported.

TO REPORT SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Altaire Pharmaceuticals, Inc., at 1-800-258-2471 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

No information provided.

Warnings & Precautions

WARNINGS

Not for Injection. Topical Use Only. Prolonged use of a topical ocular anesthetic is not recommended. It may produce permanent corneal opacification with accompanying visual loss. Avoid contamination-do not touch tip of sterile dropper used to dispense solution to any surface. Replace container closure immediately after using.

PRECAUTIONS

This product should be used cautiously and sparingly in patients with known allergies, cardiac disease, or hyperthyroidism. The long-term toxicity is unknown; prolonged use may possibly delay wound healing. Although exceedingly rare with ophthalmic application of local anesthetics, it should be borne in mind that systemic toxicity manifested by central nervous systems stimulation followed by depression may occur. Protection of the eye from irritation, chemicals, foreign bodies and rubbing during the period of anesthesia is very important. Tonometers soaked in sterilizing or detergent solutions should be thoroughly rinsed with sterile distilled water prior to use. Patients should be advised to avoid touching the eye until the anesthesia has worn off.

Use In Specific Populations

Pregnancy: Pregnancy Category C.

Animal reproductive studies have not been conducted with Fluorescein Sodium and Benoxinate Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.25%/0.4%. It is also not known whether Fluorescein Sodium and Benoxinate Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.25%/0.4% can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Fluorescein Sodium and Benoxinate Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.25%/0.4% should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.

Nursing Mothers

Caution should be exercised when Fluorescein Sodium and Benoxinate Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.25%/0.4% is administered
to a nursing woman.

Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Overdose & Contraindications

OVERDOSE

No information provided.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Known hypersensitivity to any component of this product.

Clinical Pharmacology

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

This product is the combination of a disclosing agent with a rapidly acting anesthetic of short duration.

Medication Guide

PATIENT INFORMATION

No information provided. Please refer to the WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS sections.

FDA Logo

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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