Carboxymethylcellulose

Registered South African indications:

• Dry eyes

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or any of its excipients

Cautions

• Concomitant use with contact lenses

Forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: dro

Relief of irritation and discomfort caused by dry eye
Relief of eye irritation caused by exposure to wind or sun

• Ophthalmic (dro): 1-2 drops in affected eye(s), as needed

Avoid touching the bottle tip to the eye or to any other surface

Concomitant ocular agents should be administered 15 minutes prior to application

Not established for use in children

Pregnancy

• Safe
• Carboxymethylcellulose has been used as a pharmaceutical agent for many years with no untoward effects. No special precautions are necessary for the use of carboxymethylcellulose in pregnancy

Breastfeeding

• Compatible
• Carboxymethylcellulose has been used as a pharmaceutical agent for many years with no untoward effects. No special precautions are necessary for the use of carboxymethylcellulose in breastfeeding

Renal Impairment

• No dose adjustment recommended

Hepatic Impairment

• No dose adjustment recommended

Elderly

• No dose adjustment recommended

Porphyria Information

• Not porphyrinogenic (NP)

Drugs in Sport

• Permitted - No warnings

Immune, Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders

• Hypersensitivity
• Eye allergy

Sensory Disorders

• Eye irritation
• Eye pain
• Eye pruritus
• Visual disturbance
• Increased lacrimation
• Blurred vision
• Eye discharge
• Eyelid margin crusting and/or medication residue
• Foreign body sensation in eye
• Ocular hyperemia
• Visual impairment
• Superficial injury of eye
• Corneal abrasion

No information available

None routine

Carmellose sodium (carboxymethylcellulose sodium) acts as a lubricant with no pharmacological effect. It has a high viscosity resulting in an increased retention time on the eye.

Carboxymethylcellulose is available in several formulations. Please note the list below gives examples of products which are available and is not necessarily comprehensive. The listing of a product does not constitute endorsement of the product by EMGuidance; likewise, failure to list a product does not imply that EMGuidance disapproves of the product. This information is put together on the basis of the National Government's Medicines Price Registry at the time of publication

Eye drops (per ml) 5mg

• Cellufresh single dose vial (Allergan)
• Optive (Allergan)
• Refresh Tears (Allergan)

Eye drops (per ml) 10mg

• Celluvisc single dose vial (Allergan)
• Refresh Liquigel (Allergan)