Prednisolone acetate

FDA label, Sandoz Inc, ophthalmic, effective 2024-12-30. Full label on DailyMed

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From MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Quoted from the FDA label. Product labels differ by manufacturer and change over time; confirm against the label for the product you are using.

Dosing in kidney impairment

This label has no separate kidney-impairment dosing section. Check warnings and clinical pharmacology in the full label.

Supplement interactions

Dietary supplement interactions

1 noted
  • Vitamin DSteroids
    Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone (Deltasone, Rayos, and Sterapred), are often prescribed to reduce inflammation. These medications can reduce calcium absorption and impair vitamin D metabolism.
    Fact sheet, updated Jun 27, 2025

Contraindications

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension is contraindicated in most viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva, including epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, and varicella, and also in mycobacterial infection of the eye and fungal diseases of ocular structures. Prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension is also contraindicated in individuals with known or suspected hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients of this preparation and to other corticosteroids.

Safety data

Reported adverse events (FAERS)

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Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System via openFDA

Liver injury (LiverTox)

LiverTox has no chapter for prednisolone acetate. Check the label's hepatic warnings.

Pregnancy and lactation

Pregnancy

Pregnancy:

Lactation

Nursing Mothers: It is not known whether topical administration of corticosteroids could result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in human milk. Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other untoward effects. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from prednisolone acetate, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

Breastfeeding (LactMed)

Amounts of prednisolone in breastmilk are very low. No adverse effect have been reported in breastfed infants with maternal use of any corticosteroid during breastfeeding. Although it is often recommended to avoid breastfeeding for 4 hours after a dose this maneuver is not necessary because prednisolone milk levels are very low. Medium to large doses of corticosteroids given systemically or injected into joints or the breast have been reported to cause temporary reduction of lactation. Because absorption from the eye is limited, ophthalmic prednisolone would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 1 minute or more, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue.

Alternatives LactMed suggests considering:
Source: LactMed: Prednisolone (NICHD, public domain)Revised Jul 15, 2024

Supply and cost

Drug shortage status

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Recalls (last 24 months)

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Therapeutic equivalence (Orange Book)

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Price ladder

Not the price at the counter
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These are not what a patient pays at the pharmacy counter. They are what pharmacies, health plans, and government buyers pay, before manufacturer rebates. A patient's cost depends on their insurance (copay, coinsurance, or deductible) or the pharmacy's cash price.

Products and NDCs

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