In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For ophthalmic corticosteroids, the following should be considered:

Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to corticosteroids. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy Although studies on birth defects with ophthalmic corticosteroids have not been done in humans, these medicines have not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems. However, in animal studies, dexamethasone, fluorometholone, hydrocortisone, and prednisolone caused birth defects when applied to the eyes of pregnant animals. Also, fluorometholone and medrysone caused other unwanted effects in the animal fetus.

Breast-feeding Ophthalmic corticosteroids have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children Children less than 2 years of age may be especially sensitive to the effects of ophthalmic corticosteroids. This may increase the chance of side effects. If this medicine has been ordered for a young child, you should discuss its use with your child's doctor. Be sure you follow all of the doctor's instructions very carefully.

Older adults Although there is no specific information about the use of ophthalmic corticosteroids in the elderly, they are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than they do in younger adults.

Other medicines Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) ophthalmic medicine.

• Cataracts Corticosteroids may cause cataracts or make them worse

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) Patients with diabetes may be more likely to develop cataracts or glaucoma with the use of corticosteroids

• Glaucoma (or family history of) Corticosteroids may cause glaucoma or make it worse

• Herpes infection of the eye or
• Tuberculosis of the eye (active or history of) or
• Any other eye infection Ophthalmic corticosteroids may make existing infections worse or cause new infections