What is this medication for?

Acetylcysteine eye drop breaks down mucus strands on the eye surface and makes tears less sticky. It is used to treat dry eyes, cornea inflammatory conditions such as filamentary keratitis and improve cornea wound healing.

How should I take/use this medication?

• Proper use of eye drop
• Wash your hands with soap and water, and read the instructions on the label.
• Tilt your head backwards and look up.
• Gently pull the lower eyelid down to form a pocket and squeeze the bottle to apply one drop into your eye. To prevent the tip of the bottle from getting dirty, make sure the tip does not touch the eye or any other surface.
• Keep your eyes closed and press down gently on the inner corner of your eye for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the medication to be absorbed.
• If you need to use more than 1 drop of medication, or if you are using another type of eye drop, wait at least 5 to 10 minutes before using the next eye drop. This is to prevent the first drop of medication from being washed away by the second drop of medication before it has time to work. This also prevents any interactions between different eye drops.
• If your doctor prescribed both eye drops and eye ointments, you should use the eye drops first.
• Click on this link for a step-by-step guide on how to apply eye drops

https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/medications/A-Step-By-Step-Guide-On-How-To-Instil-Eye-Drops

• For contact lens wearers, remove your contact lens before each application of medication.
  
• Do not stop using your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.
  

What should I do if I forget to take/use this medication?

If you forget to use a dose, use it as soon as you remember. Then use your next dose at the usual time. Do not use two doses to make up for the missed dose.

What precautions should I take?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.

• You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

• You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.

• You are using any other eye preparations.

What are some common side-effects of this medication?

• Eye redness

• Eye itchiness/irritation/stinging

These symptoms are usually mild and will go away after some time. Check with your healthcare professional if these symptoms are severe or do not improve.

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue

• Difficulty in breathing

• Itchy skin rashes around your eyes or over your whole body

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.

How should I store this medication?

• Read the instructions on the medication label:

  • For preparations that require refrigeration, store in the refrigerator between 2 - 8⁰C. Do not freeze.

  • For preparations that do not require refrigeration, store at room temperature, in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight.

• Use this medication within the shelf-life as recommended by the healthcare professional/manufacturer. Do not use the product after the expiry date stated on the bottle.

• Keep this medication away from children.

How should I throw away this medication safely?

Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing it into the rubbish chute or bin.

Disclaimers

Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.

This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

Last updated on December 2022