Cequa (cyclosporine) eye drops may take 1 to 3 months to relieve symptoms of dry eye. Typically, dry eye symptoms ease the longer you use the drug.
Cequa (cyclosporine) is a brand-name eye drop that’s used to treat dry eye. If your doctor prescribed you Cequa, you might wonder how long it will take to see results. Keep reading to learn what to expect when using Cequa.
Cequa contains the active ingredient cyclosporine, which increases tear production in people with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye). Cequa comes as a solution in single-use vials that are used as eye drops.
It’s not fully known how Cequa works. But it’s thought to reduce eye inflammation, which is often the cause of dry eye symptoms. By doing this, Cequa helps your eyes produce more tears naturally. This can help reduce eye irritation and dryness. It can also help increase vision acuity (sharpness of your vision).
Cequa takes some time to ease dry eye symptoms. Your symptoms won’t improve immediately when you start treatment. The table below shows how effective Cequa was, at specific time points in clinical trials:
| Timepoint in clinical trials | Cequa effectiveness |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | doctors saw improvement during eye exams |
| 1 month | dry eye symptoms eased in some people |
| 2 months | vision sharpness improved |
| 3 months | tear production doubled in most people |
For most people, it’ll take about 4 to 6 months of consistent use to see the full benefits of Cequa. During this time, you should continue using Cequa as prescribed by your doctor, even if you don’t notice immediate relief. However, if you experience side effects of Cequa that are bothersome, be sure to tell your doctor.
To learn more about how effective Cequa is for dry eye, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer questions about what to expect with treatment.
Factors affecting how quickly Cequa works
Several factors can influence how quickly you might see results from Cequa:
- Dry eye severity: If you have a milder form of dry eye, you may see improvements sooner than those with severe dry eye.
- Consistency of use: It’s important to use Cequa exactly as your doctor prescribes. Cequa’s dosage is typically 1 drop in each eye twice daily (about 12 hours apart).
- Individual response: Everyone’s body reacts differently to medications, so the time it takes to see results can vary from person to person.
Below are some tips that may help you get the most benefit from Cequa:
- Cequa comes in a single-use vial and you should use it right away when it’s opened. Don’t let the tip of the
vial touch your eye or any other surface. - Be sure to use Cequa consistently as recommended by your doctor.
- You shouldn’t stop using Cequa even if you don’t see results immediately. Talk with your doctor if you’d like to stop Cequa treatment or if you experience side effects from the drug.
- If you use artificial tears, wait at least 15 minutes between using them and Cequa.
- If you wear contact lenses, remove them before applying Cequa and wait at least 15 minutes before putting the lenses back in.
Restasis is another drug used to treat dry eye. Both Cequa and Restasis contain the same active ingredient cyclosporine. However, the drugs come in different forms and strengths. Cequa comes as a solution in single-use vials while Restasis comes as an emulsion (an oily mixture) in single-use droppers and multiuse bottles. Cequa is also available in a higher strength (0.09%) than Restasis (0.05%).
In a study of people who switched from Restasis to Cequa, most people reported less dryness and irritation 4 weeks after using Cequa. People also used less artificial tears with Cequa compared with Restasis. And at the end of the study, 69.4% of people preferred Cequa over Restasis.
To learn more about how the drugs’ effectiveness compare, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You can also see this Cequa vs. Restasis article for other details about the drugs.
Cequa can be an effective treatment for dry eyes, but it often takes time to see results. You’ll likely need to use Cequa consistently for 4 to 6 months for your dry eye symptoms to ease significantly. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and be consistent with your doses to see the best results.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
