Lifitegrast ophthalmic and Metallic Taste: What Users Say

• Jef...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2020

For Dry Eye Disease "I tried Xiidra for dry eyes. My eyesight has gotten very noticeably worse in the month since I've started. I just read the reduction in eyesight acuity is a potential side effect. The metal taste in my mouth is tolerable. The slight stinginess upon application is fine. But making my eyesight worse! I'm done with this junk."

• Jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2019

For Dry Eye Disease "Beware! I spent $300 on a month’s supply of Xiidra, and I have had the worst side effects—burning eyes, metallic taste in my mouth, nasal drip tasting the medicine, and worst of all, nausea. I don’t understand how this drug was approved for use. I tried it every 12 hours for 8 days with no relief, only bad side effects. We should have a class action suit to at least get our money back for such a terrible drug!"

• ABa...
• December 31, 2020

For Dry Eye Disease "I have tried Restasis, over-the-counter Refresh tears and gel drops and plugs. None of these have really helped. Then I went to another eye doctor who recommended I try Xiidra. I am SO glad I did! This eye drop helps with eye inflammation too (look it up!), and I have long felt this was part of my issue. I have lupus with secondary Sjögren’s syndrome. I must look at a computer for work all day. These drops have made all the difference. In the beginning, they made my eyes burn upon instillation, some dizziness, and the metallic taste...even some sinus symptoms, but all of that subsided after a few weeks. I am so glad I stuck with it and gave these eye drops a chance!!"

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2019

For Dry Eye Disease "After cataract surgery, my eye doctor said I had dry eyes, although the only indication was that my vision wasn’t as clear as I’d like. So he prescribed Xiidra. The first month or so, I just put drops in once a day, and then after my next visit, the dose was changed to twice a day, plus over-the-counter drops during the day. It caused a bad taste, but that I could handle, so I continued using the Xiidra. The taste got to be more metallic tasting, and my mouth began to feel raw inside. I happened to have an oral surgeon appointment and mentioned it to him. When checking my tooth, he told me I had sores all over in my mouth. I checked with my pharmacist to see if she had heard of this side effect, she hadn’t. My mouth is so sore, and even after trying a special “magic mouthwash,” which seemed to work at first, I think I need to stop the Xiidra drops!"

• Gig...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2019

For Dry Eye Disease "I have extreme dry eyes, and my doctor recommended this. I've used them for 4 months. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to stop. I had slight stinging in my eyes and a metallic taste. Now they are giving me migraines, so bad I was vomiting. They worked for the dryness, but I can't live with the migraines. I'm so disappointed."

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 22, 2017

"Initial 12 days were awesome. My eyes felt completely back to normal. I did have the forewarned burning sensation and metallic taste in mouth when administering the drops. However, so worth it for the improvement in my vision. I have now been using Xiidra for 4 weeks, and the effectiveness seems to be going down. I have had multiple bad vision days and had to use refresh drops all day long. I have also, in the last few days, started having an itching sensation in the inner corners of my eyes. I go back to the Dr tomorrow, hoping Xiidra continues to work, but skeptical. Also, I will not be able to continue if the cost is $400+ per month."

• Eri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2022

For Dry Eye Disease "I can't decide which is worse, Xiidra or the doctor who prescribed it to me. Where do I begin? I was given this for dry eye/ocular rosacea. The metallic taste I could tolerate considering I'd taken drops before that helped a lot but had a metallic taste (steroids). No big deal. But the significant pain, redness, tearing, and ongoing loss of vision I couldn't tolerate whatsoever. Yes, some drugs feel crappy but make you feel better. But these are eyes we're talking about. I'm not gonna put a topical medication on my eyeball that makes it more red and painful and causes vision loss. Don't put this stuff in your eyes. Just don't."

• lio...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2017

"I administered these drops twice a day for 2 days. I experienced the stinging, blurriness, and metallic taste in my mouth, but that went away after about 20 minutes. On the third day, it left my right eye so, so blurred. Again, blurriness is a side effect, but it did not go away. I am on day 4, and I can't see out of my right eye. It's extremely blurry and scary, seeing as I've had both my eyes for all my life. The doctor said it's an allergic reaction and gave me artificial tears to 'flush out' the Xiidra. Basically, it's a waiting game on my vision to come back. I will be in and out of my doctor's office until I get some improvement. I guess just beware and see if there's anything milder to try first."

• Abb...
• May 28, 2017

"Sjögren's disease causes extremely dry eyes. Restasis didn't help. Xiidra made my eyeballs hurt, and my headaches and sinusitis got much worse. The initial burning is very bad. After 6 days, the metallic taste and nausea became worse. My eyesight and dryness were showing no signs of improving, so I stopped using Xiidra after 8 days. Would never recommend it."

• Fed...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2018

For Dry Eye Disease "I have tried every dry eye treatment in the book - artificial tears, nightly warm soaks, coconut oil, Restasis, punctal plug lasering, etc. I agreed to try Xiidra, even after reading the terrible reviews, because I was desperate. I lasted 1 month - the amount of time my eye doctor said it would take to kick in. Every time I inserted the drops, my eyes burned. The morning drops caused white discharge in my eyes, but the night drops did not cause this. I experience blurry vision - to be expected on an eye drop for short periods of time. I also had a metallic taste in my mouth every time I used the drops - also an expected side effect. My dry eye did not improve, and it actually got even worse by the end of 1 month. My eyes are now permanently red and feel swollen and painfully dry. I was stubborn and opted to stay on this drug for the full month, in hopes that eventually it would 'kick in' and improve my condition. I just hope my eyes can recover."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2021

For Dry Eye Disease "I was prescribed this due to dry eyes. Tried the first time for a few days and had severe headaches and sinus pressure. I was not sure if it was the medication, so I stopped it and tried again after a few weeks. The same problems recurred but more side effects. Along with migraines and sinus pressure, I also developed blisters on my tongue, metallic taste, dry, itchy eyes. My eyes also look swollen in the inner corners. After reading all the other reports, I am going to d/c this medication and go back to drops."

• JPR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2018

For Dry Eye Disease "After 3 months of no relief on Restasis, I was prescribed Xiidra by my ophthalmologist for chronic dry eye. Almost immediately, my eyes felt great! No more gritty feeling every day. I was advised that there would be some burning after application and a metallic taste, which has been ongoing. I also get crustiness in both eyes when I wake up every morning, but these are mild annoyances compared to the suffering I experienced 24/7 before. The only reason I can't give Xiidra a higher rating is that after 2 weeks on it, I'm waking up with red, puffy eyes and irritation (itching) under my eyes and around my eyelids. It's getting to the point that I'm now considering going off these drops. (Am I allergic to them?) Too bad because it was the only drops that worked for my dry eye, otherwise. Oh, and the cost of these drops is ridiculously expensive, even with the coupons my doctor gave to me. What's up with that????"

• Gre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2018

For Dry Eye Disease "I was hesitant to try Xiidra based on the negative reviews, but my doctor convinced me to take it. There was definitely a strange metallic taste that seemed to always be there. My eyes began to improve after a couple of days, therefore, I thought it was worth continuing the drops. My throat always felt like it had a tickle sensation, and I began to have a raspy catch in it, similar to other reviews. After the first week, I developed a full sinus infection. While I can't prove it, I am convinced there is a link to Xiidra since I had symptoms matching so many others. I rarely get sinus infections, especially in the middle of the summer. I understand the negative reviews of Xiidra now and have stopped using the drops completely."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 12, 2022

For Dry Eye Disease "Xiidra has worked wonders on my dry eyes! By storing them in the fridge, you can eliminate the stinging sensation. It’s important to hold pressure on the corners of your inner eye for a minute while looking downward with eyes closed after instilling drops. This will help prevent the metallic taste from continuing past the first week or two. I used a coupon from the Xiidra website to save money on my prescription, along with insurance. While it’s still expensive, the prescription lasts me 2-3 months. My eye doctor said it was okay to use the drops multiple times if I kept the tip clean and stored properly. Overall, I think the benefits highly outweigh the cons of using Xiidra for dry eye therapy if you take the time to use it correctly!"

• PME...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2018

"I tried Xiidra for about 3 weeks. Using the Refresh eye lubricant beforehand certainly helps to offset any eye irritation; although the irritation was still there but far more tolerable. I stopped because of the metallic taste but also because I began to experience a type of post-nasal drip sitting in the back of my throat. After stopping Xiidra, the drip has pretty much cleared up, but I also developed an unusual sensation (as if I need to sneeze) in my left nostril. From the Xiidra? Not sure, but it, too, appears to be lessening."

• Ran...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2021

For Dry Eye Disease "I was initially wary when prescribing info said 'don't take with other eye drops' since I've been using Rocklatan for glaucoma pressure, but relented when doc assured we 'do it all the time.' 4 weeks after starting Xiidra, I went in for I.O.P. check, and it was up 50% and dangerous. I have taken zero NEW drugs or other factors that could have caused this dangerous spike in my pressures. Xiidra has to be the culprit. Also, the packaging and method of dispensing is the most inhuman and wasteful design imaginable. 5 vials in a non-openable foil/plastic pouch that requires scissors...when you need 2 vials per day? The genius that thought this system was effective should be fired. The drug is dispensed partially on your fingers! Other users' comments are also typical: the metallic taste, under-filled vials, burning sensation. Besides, any drug you get in a box ½ the size of a shoe box is just plain ineffective."

• Sha...
• August 19, 2021

For Dry Eye Disease "Was diagnosed with dry eye disease and was prescribed Xiidra. Worst thing I could have done, it is painful, it burns intensely, and it produces an excessive amount of mucus in the eyes. There is a metal taste at the top of my throat. I won’t be continuing this product. Sad the side effects are worse than the disease itself. I'm going to continue to use refresher drops I got instead. Xiidra is dangerous. Shame on the drug companies."

• Jay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 21, 2019

For Dry Eye Disease "Started using twice a day for dry eyes, and it caused blurry eyesight and burning, as well as a gross metal taste that burns my throat and my nose, giving me headaches."

• DDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2018

"Used for only 3 days. Not long enough to tell if effective. Metallic aftertaste, post-nasal drip, short period of blurred vision, strange urinary odor. Going back to OTC meds."

• Tra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2018

For Dry Eye Disease "Neutral rating at this time, as it hasn't been the 4-6 weeks yet. However, the metallic taste lasts 1-2 hours and causes post-nasal drip, not sure if I like that and may cause me to discontinue."