What Is Zaditor Used For?
Zaditor® (
ketotifen ophthalmic solution) is an eye medication used for treating eye
allergy symptoms. In particular, it is approved for treating eye itching related to
allergies due to pollen, ragweed, or animal hair and dander. The medication belongs to a group of drugs known as antihistamines. Although Zaditor was once available by prescription only, it is now available without a prescription.
Allergy symptoms can affect various parts of the body, including the eyes. Eye allergies are known medically as allergic conjunctivitis because the allergic reaction occurs in the conjunctiva (the thin layer that covers the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelid). Symptoms of eye allergies may include:
- Itchy, red eyes (or pink eye)
- Burning or stinging of the eyes
- Watery eyes
- Puffy, swollen eyelids.
Combined with strategies to minimize a person's contact with allergens, treatment can make life bearable for even the worst allergy sufferer. Treatment often includes allergy eyedrops such as Zaditor. Unlike decongestant eyedrops (such as many other over-the-counter eyedrops), you can use Zaditor long-term without the risk of actually making the redness and swelling worse after you stop the medication.
Zaditor belongs to a group of allergy medications known as antihistamines.
Specifically, it is an H1 receptor antagonist. This means that it blocks a specific type of histamine receptor in the body known as H1 receptors. Since the symptoms of allergic reactions are partly caused by histamine, Zaditor can help prevent or relieve allergy symptoms.
In addition to blocking histamine receptors, this medication seems to decrease the release of histamine from cells in the body and may also inhibit other substances produced by the body in response to an allergen, such as leukotrienes or eosinophils.
