Prescription medication · Corticosteroid (Ophthalmic)

loteprednol ophthalmic

Also sold as Lotemax. Lotemax SM treats inflammation and pain in your eye after surgery.

Data updated 2026-05-15

71% less
Generic vs brandBig savings
$60.85
Brand price (NADAC)

loteprednol ophthalmic (Lotemax) is a prescription Corticosteroid (Ophthalmic). Lotemax SM treats inflammation and pain in your eye after surgery.

Lotemax SM is an eye gel that contains a steroid medicine. It is used to treat inflammation and pain after eye surgery.

Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →

Drug Pricing (NADAC)

Brand Price

$60.85/unit

Generic Price

$17.91/unit

Generic Savings

71%

Generic Available

Yes (10 manufacturers)

Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →

View Alternatives → Compare with Another Drug →

What it does

Lotemax SM treats inflammation and pain in your eye after surgery.

Common side effects

No common side effects listed.

Key warnings

Using steroid eye drops for a long time may cause glaucoma.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from loteprednol ophthalmic's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Lotemax SM contains loteprednol etabonate, a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation in the body. By reducing inflammation in the eye, Lotemax SM helps relieve pain and swelling after surgery.

Serious Warnings

Using steroid eye drops for a long time may cause glaucoma. This can damage your optic nerve and cause vision problems. Steroid eye drops can also cause cataracts. Steroids may also slow healing after cataract surgery. If you use this medicine for 10 days or longer, your eye pressure should be checked.

Common Questions

What is Lotemax SM used for?
It treats eye inflammation and pain after surgery.
How often should I use Lotemax SM?
Use one drop in the affected eye three times a day.
When should I start using Lotemax SM?
Start the day after your eye surgery.
How long should I use Lotemax SM?
Continue using it for the first 2 weeks after surgery.
Can Lotemax SM cause any serious side effects?
Yes, it may cause glaucoma or cataracts with long-term use.
What should I do if I experience vision changes?
Contact your doctor immediately.
Is Lotemax SM safe to use during pregnancy?
It is not known if it is safe. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant.
How should I store Lotemax SM?
Store it upright at room temperature.
Can I use Lotemax SM if I have a viral infection in my eye?
No, you should not use it if you have most viral infections of the cornea or conjunctiva.
What should I do if I miss a dose?
Use it as soon as you remember.
What drug class is loteprednol ophthalmic?
loteprednol ophthalmic belongs to the Corticosteroid (Ophthalmic) drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). Lotemax SM treats inflammation and pain in your eye after surgery.
Is there a generic version of loteprednol ophthalmic?
Yes, generic loteprednol ophthalmic is available from 10 manufacturers. The generic costs $17.91 per unit compared to $60.85 for the brand version, saving approximately 71%. Pricing is based on NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) data from CMS.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for loteprednol ophthalmic?
The FDA label for loteprednol ophthalmic contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

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What the FDA Data Shows for loteprednol ophthalmic

The FDA label for loteprednol ophthalmic (sold under brand names such as Lotemax) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Corticosteroid (Ophthalmic) class. Lotemax SM treats inflammation and pain in your eye after surgery. Labeling covers dosing, contraindications, and monitoring requirements derived from clinical trials.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $17.91 versus $60.85 for the brand - a 71% 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 are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

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. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: March 17, 2023

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

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 from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page