Prescription medication · Calcineurin Inhibitor (Immunosuppressant)
cyclosporine
Also sold as Neoral, Sandimmune, Restasis. Vevye treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 106,440
- FDA reportsOften reported
- 89
- InteractionsMany interactions
- 80% less
- Generic vs brandHuge savings
- $10.30
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
cyclosporine (Neoral) is a prescription Calcineurin Inhibitor (Immunosuppressant), more reported than most tracked drugs (106,440 FDA reports), whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (80% less).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
cyclosporine (Neoral) is a prescription Calcineurin Inhibitor (Immunosuppressant). Vevye treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.
Vevye eye drops contain cyclosporine. They help treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$10.30/unit
Generic Price
$2.11/unit
Generic Savings
80%
Generic Available
Yes (12 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Vevye treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.
Common side effects
Irritation where the drops are applied (8%)
Key warnings
To avoid eye injury or contamination, do not touch the bottle tip to your eye or any other surface.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from cyclosporine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Vevye contains cyclosporine, which is an immunosuppressant. It works by decreasing inflammation in the eyes. This helps your eyes make more tears.
How to Take It
Wash your hands before using Vevye. Put one drop in each eye twice a day, about 12 hours apart. Gently pull down your lower eyelid and let the drop fall into your eye. If you use other eye drops, wait 15 minutes between each medicine.
This is a plain-language summary of cyclosporine's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known if Vevye will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Cyclosporine can pass into breast milk after being taken orally, but it is unknown if it passes into breast milk from eye drops. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of cyclosporine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Vevye, use it as soon as you remember. Then, continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of cyclosporine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store Vevye at room temperature (59°F to 77°F). Keep the bottle tightly closed and do not freeze or refrigerate it.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 106,440 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for cyclosporine, by number of reports
- Eye feels irritated
Eye feels irritated
7,786 reports
- Fever
Fever
4,066 reports
- Eye ache
Eye ache
3,808 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
3,623 reports
- Loose stools
Loose stools
3,562 reports
- Head pain
Head pain
3,558 reports
- Feeling tired
Feeling tired
3,368 reports
- Lung infection
Lung infection
3,265 reports
- Aches
Aches
3,145 reports
- Condition got worse 3,041
Condition got worse
3,041 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for cyclosporine each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where cyclosporine sits
cyclosporine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 86% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is cyclosporine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 106,440 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1994–2025.
Total Reports
106,440
Reports Mentioning Death
13,961
13.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
27,207
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | EYE IRRITATION | 7,786 |
| 5 | PYREXIA | 4,064 |
| 6 | EYE PAIN | 3,808 |
| 7 | NAUSEA | 3,623 |
| 8 | DIARRHOEA | 3,562 |
| 9 | HEADACHE | 3,558 |
| 10 | FATIGUE | 3,369 |
| 11 | PNEUMONIA | 3,267 |
| 12 | PAIN | 3,144 |
| 13 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 3,042 |
| 14 | VISION BLURRED | 2,841 |
| 15 | RASH | 2,650 |
| 16 | PRURITUS | 2,579 |
| 17 | DYSPNOEA | 2,548 |
| 18 | DEATH | 2,437 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
To avoid eye injury or contamination, do not touch the bottle tip to your eye or any other surface. Do not use Vevye while wearing contact lenses. If you wear contacts, remove them before using the drops. You can put them back in 15 minutes after using Vevye.
Known Drug Interactions
Gastroprokinetic Agents: Cisapride Contraindicated Cisapride: [See Contraindications ( 4.2 )] Lipid-lowering agents: Lomitapide Lovastatin Simvastatin Contraindicated Lomitapide, Lovastatin, Simvastatin: Clarithromycin may increase the exposure of these drugs by inhibition of CYP3A metabolism, thereby increasing the risk of toxicities from these drugs [see Contraindications ( 4.5 ) and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Atorvastatin, Pravastatin, Fluvastatin: [See Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Atorvastatin Pravastatin Use With Caution Fluvastatin No Dose Adjustment Hypoglycemic Agents:...
Mechanism: Clarithromycin blocks the liver enzyme that breaks down cyclosporine, which causes the drug to build up in your body.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor your blood levels closely and may need to adjust your dose while you are taking the antibiotic.
Cyclosporine, Danazol, or Gemfibrozil Clinical Impact: The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with ezetimibe and simvastatin. Intervention: Concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with ezetimibe and simvastatin is contraindicated [see Contraindications ( 4 )].
Mechanism: Taking these medicines together greatly increases the risk of serious muscle breakdown and damage.
What to do: Do not use these medications together.
Cyclosporine, Danazol, or Gemfibrozil Clinical Impact: The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with VYTORIN. Intervention: Concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with VYTORIN is contraindicated [see Contraindications (4) ] .
Mechanism: Cyclosporine causes a large increase in simvastatin levels in your blood, which can lead to a dangerous condition where muscle tissue breaks down.
What to do: You should not take these two medications together at the same time.
Drug Interactions that Increase the Risk of Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis with pitavastatin tablets Cyclosporine Clinical Impact: Cyclosporine significantly increases pitavastatin exposure and increases the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Intervention: Concomitant use of cyclosporine with pitavastatin tablets is contraindicated [see Contraindications ( 4 )].
Mechanism: Cyclosporine stops the body from clearing pitavastatin, causing the medicine to build up to unsafe levels in the blood. This significantly increases the risk of serious muscle damage and kidney problems.
What to do: Do not take these two medications together. This combination is contraindicated because it is considered too dangerous.
Cyclosporine, Danazol, or Gemfibrozil Clinical Impact: The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis is increased with concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with ezetimibe and simvastatin. Intervention: Concomitant use of cyclosporine, danazol, or gemfibrozil with ezetimibe and simvastatin is contraindicated [see Contraindications ( 4 )].
Mechanism: Cyclosporine prevents your body from processing simvastatin correctly, which can cause a dangerous amount of the drug to build up. This significantly increases the risk of severe muscle breakdown.
What to do: Avoid taking these two drugs together because the combination is unsafe and can cause severe muscle damage.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
What is Vevye used for?
How often should I use Vevye?
Can I wear contact lenses while using Vevye?
What should I do if I get Vevye in my eye?
How should I store Vevye?
What if I miss a dose?
Can I use Vevye if I am pregnant?
Can I use Vevye if I am breastfeeding?
What if the tamper-evident ring is not intact?
Can I use Vevye after the expiration date?
What are the common side effects of cyclosporine?
Does cyclosporine interact with other medications?
What drug class is cyclosporine?
Is there a generic version of cyclosporine?
Is cyclosporine safe during pregnancy?
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for cyclosporine
The FDA label for cyclosporine (sold under brand names such as Neoral, Sandimmune, Restasis) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Calcineurin Inhibitor (Immunosuppressant) class. Vevye treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Official labeling lists 1 commonly reported side effect, including Irritation where the drops are applied (8%).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 106,440 voluntary reports. The database also lists 89 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $2.11 versus $10.30 for the brand - a 80% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: November 14, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages