Compare Zaditor vs. Acular
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Relieves itchy eyes due to allergies.
Zaditor (ketotifen) is the first-choice OTC treatment for allergy-related itchy eyes, but it doesn't treat infections and may not help for more serious allergies.
Relieves eye pain, itching, and inflammation.
Acular (Ketorolac eye drops) is a good choice to help bring down inflammation and pain, especially if you're recovering from eye surgery, but it must be used 4 times a day.
Upsides
- Works within minutes to relieve itchy eyes.
- Available to buy over-the-counter, which makes it cheaper.
- Can use in children age 3 or older.
- Unlike pills which can affect your whole body, Zaditor (ketotifen) only affects your eyes, which means it has less side effects than anti-allergy pills.
- Acular (Ketorolac eye drops) won't affect your eye pressure, which is a concern for people with glaucoma.
- Acular (Ketorolac eye drops) is well tolerated with minimal side effects.
- The medication isn't absorbed into the rest of your body, so its effects are limited to the eye.
Downsides
- Can only use Zaditor (ketotifen) for a short period of time.
- Administering the medication into the eye safely may be more difficult for some people than taking anti-allergy pills.
No information currently available
Used for
- Allergy-related itchy eyes
- Seasonal allergies
- Post operative inflammation
- Allergy-related itchy eyes
- Cystoid macular edema
Dosage forms
- Eye drops
- Eye drops
Price
Lowest price
$11.01
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$12.69
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Reviews
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Side effects
The Zaditor (ketotifen) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.
8possible side effects
- Temporary eye pain or burning40%
- Allergic reactions5%
- Eye swelling5%
- Iris infection5%
- Eye inflammation5%
- Eye irritation5%
- Corneal inflammation5%
- Superficial eye infections5%
Risks and risk factors
- Allergy to ingredients
- Risk for eye infection
- Not to be used with contact lenses
- Those who wear soft contact lenses
- Slow healing
- Concurrent injuries
- Breathing problems
- Asthma
- History of breathing problems
- Increased bleeding
- History of bleeding disorders
- Using other medicines that increase risk of bleeding
- Cornea problems
- History of eye problems
- Multiple eye surgeries
- Eye disease
- rheumatoid arthritis
- Don't wear contacts