Over-the-counter medication · Antihistamine (Ophthalmic)
olopatadine ophthalmic
Also sold as Patanol, Pataday. This medicine treats itchy and red eyes.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- OTC
- Availability
olopatadine ophthalmic (Patanol) is an over-the-counter Antihistamine (Ophthalmic). This medicine treats itchy and red eyes.
Olopatadine eye drops help with itchy and red eyes. It is an antihistamine.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
What it does
This medicine treats itchy and red eyes.
Common side effects
No common side effects listed.
Key warnings
No specific warnings noted. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from olopatadine ophthalmic's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Olopatadine is an antihistamine. It works by blocking histamine. Histamine is a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms.
Common Questions
What is this medicine used for?
How often should I use it?
Can I use it with other eye drops?
Is it safe for children?
What should I do after using the drops?
Can I use it more than twice a day?
What if I wear contact lenses?
Does it help with all types of allergies?
Is a prescription required?
What is the drug class?
What drug class is olopatadine ophthalmic?
Related Medications in Antihistamine (Ophthalmic)
Other drugs grouped near olopatadine ophthalmic - same-class peers and common alternatives.
azelastine
Astelin, Astepro
Azelastine nasal spray is an antihistamine medicine.
Compare with olopatadine ophthalmic →
budesonide nasal
Rhinocort
Rhinocort is a nasal spray that helps relieve allergy symptoms.
Compare with olopatadine ophthalmic →
cetirizine
Zyrtec
Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is an antihistamine medicine.
Compare with olopatadine ophthalmic →
chlorpheniramine
Chlor-Trimeton
Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine medicine.
Compare with olopatadine ophthalmic →
ciclesonide nasal
Omnaris, Zetonna
Omnaris Nasal Spray is a medicine that helps treat allergy symptoms in your nose.
Compare with olopatadine ophthalmic →
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
Pain Relievers Compared
NSAIDs vs acetaminophen, which OTC pain reliever to use
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
What the FDA Data Shows for olopatadine ophthalmic
The FDA label for olopatadine ophthalmic (sold under brand names such as Patanol, Pataday) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Antihistamine (Ophthalmic) class. This medicine treats itchy and red eyes. 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. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
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).
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: April 14, 2025
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
- 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