Difluprednate is a corticosteroid eye drop that is primarily used to reduce inflammation after eye surgery, such as cataract surgery. It can also be used for the treatment of various inflammatory eye conditions. Difluprednate belongs to the family of medications known as corticosteroids, which help reduce swelling, redness, and itching.

Difluprednate is a corticosteroid that is used topically to the eyes to treat inflammatory eye diseases.

Difluprednate Uses:

• Inflammation and pain:
  • After eye surgery, it is used to alleviate inflammation and discomfort.
• Uveitis:
  • The therapy of endogenous anterior uveitis is indicated.

Difluprednate Dose in Adults:

Therapy of endogenous anterior uveitis with difluprednate dose:

• For treating a condition called Endogenous anterior uveitis, put one drop in the sick eye(s) 4 times a day for 2 weeks.
• After that, use fewer drops based on how the eye is healing or what the doctor says.

Difluprednate dose in the treatment of inflammation and pain associated with ocular surgery:

• Start 1 day after the surgery.
• Put 1 drop in the sore eye(s) 4 times a day for 2 weeks.
• Then, use 1 drop 2 times a day for 1 week.
• After that, adjust how often you use it depending on how your eye feels or what your doctor suggests.

Difluprednate Dose in Children:

Difluprednate dosage for children older than 2 years old with endogenous anterior uveitis: 

For treating "Endogenous anterior uveitis" in kids older than 2 and teenagers:

• Use Difluprednate eye drops.
• Put 1 drop in the affected eye(s) 4 times a day for 2 weeks.
• After 2 weeks, use fewer drops based on how the eye is healing or what the doctor says. (This info comes from studies in 2014 and 2012.)

Difluprednate dosage for the management of postoperative inflammation in the eyes: 

For eye swelling after surgery in babies, kids, and teenagers:

• Start using Difluprednate eye drops 1 day after the surgery.
• Put 1 drop in the sore eye(s) 4 times a day for 2 weeks.
• After 2 weeks, use 1 drop 2 times a day for 1 week.
• Then, adjust how often you use it based on how the eye feels or what the doctor recommends.

Pregnancy Risk Factor C

• Tests on animals have shown some negative effects during reproduction.
• However, when Difluprednate eye drops are used, the amount that enters the body's system is extremely low, less than 50 ng/mL, which is too tiny to measure accurately.

Use of difluprednate while breastfeeding

• We don't know if Difluprednate gets into breast milk.
• But, similar drugs do.
• Since there's a chance of side effects if it's absorbed into the body, the company suggests being careful when giving Difluprednate to breastfeeding moms.

Difluprednate Dose in Kidney disease:

• The company that makes the medicine hasn't given special instructions for doses if someone has kidney problems.
• But, not much of the medicine enters the body's system anyway.

Difluprednate Dose in Liver disease:

• The company doesn't give special dose instructions for people with liver problems.
• But, only a tiny amount of the medicine goes into the body when used.

Common Side Effects of Difluprednate:

• Ophthalmic:
  • Conjunctival edema
  • Corneal edema
  • Anterior chamber inflammation
  • Blepharitis Cataract (secondary)
  • Photophobia
  • Eye pain
  • Ocular hyperemia (ciliary, conjunctival, limbal)

Less Common Side Effects of Difluprednate:

• Central nervous system:
  • Headache
• Ophthalmic:
  • Uveitis
  • Dry Eye Syndrome
  • Eye Irritation
  • Blurred Vision
  • Decreased Visual Acuity
  • Iritis
  • Ophthalmic Inflammation (Postoperative)
  • Increased Intraocular Pressure
  • Iridocyclitis
  • Punctate Keratitis

Contraindications to Difluprednate:

You shouldn't use Difluprednate if:

• You have active viral infections in the eye like herpes or chickenpox.
• You have a fungal or certain bacterial infections in the eye.

In Canada, they add a few more reasons:

• If you're allergic to Difluprednate, anything in it, or other similar medicines.
• If you have a fresh eye bacterial infection that hasn't been treated yet.

(Note: These extra warnings from Canada aren't mentioned in the US guidelines.)

Warnings and precautions

Cataracts

• Using corticosteroids for a long time might cause a type of cataract at the back of the eye lens.
• If used after cataract surgery, it might slow down the healing or cause small raised areas (blebs) to form on the eye.

Corneal perforation

• If you use steroid eye drops and have diseases that make the front part of your eye thin, there's a risk it might get a hole (perforation).

Infections are exacerbated

• Using the medicine can make some infections worse.
• Be very careful if someone had eye herpes before.
• If there's no improvement in 2 days, check again.
• Don't use it if there's a virus affecting the front of the eye or with certain fungal or bacterial eye infections.

Glaucoma:

• Be careful using this medicine if you have glaucoma.
• Using corticosteroids for a long time can increase eye pressure, harm the nerve in the eye, and affect vision.
• If someone's on the treatment for more than 10 days, check their eye pressure.

Immunosuppression:

• This medicine can hide an infection or make an existing one worse.
• If someone has a lasting sore on their eye during long-term treatment, it might be a fungal infection.
• If unsure, get tests done to check.

Monitoring parameters:

If using the medicine for more than 28 days, regularly check the eye pressure and take a look at the lens of the eye.

How to administer Difluprednate?

For eye drops:

• Wash your hands before using.
• Don't touch the dropper's tip.
• Take out contact lenses before using the drops.
• Wait at least 10 minutes after using the drops before putting contact lenses back in.
• If you've had eye surgery, don't use the same bottle for both eyes.

Mechanism of action of Difluprednate:

• Corticosteroids like Difluprednate reduce inflammation by blocking processes like swelling, widening of blood vessels, immune cell movement, and the formation of scars.
• Difluprednate can get inside cells and stimulate the production of certain proteins called lipocortins, which help control the actions of chemicals like prostaglandins and leukotrienes that play a role in inflammation.

Metabolism:

• It changes inside the body into an active form called DFB.

Absorption

• When you use it in your eyes, very little of the medicine gets into your whole body.

International Brands of Difluprednate:

• Durezol
• Diflupred
• Diflustero
• Dipred
• Epitopic
• Neopred
• Predasin
• Ribeca

Difluprednate Brands Names in Pakistan:

Not Available.