by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady wrote:
I have a question regarding Restasis (for dry eyes). I have dry eyes and used to use Restasis, which was very successful. When my tinnitus increased a year and a half ago, I stopped everything that I was using including Restasis because I was not sure what was causing it, although at that time, I became very congested and felt that I had some type of sinus condition going on that lasted for months. I had been using Restasis for a few years at that point.
I am having a lot of eye problems, and very little of the over-the-counter drops really work as well as Restasis. Would you suggest that I try using it again (even with my history of tinnitus and some mild high frequency hearing loss, although that may be age related—I am 56—and not medication related, but who knows)? What I need to know is does the description in your book about Cyclosporine causing hearing loss and tinnitus also apply to drops in the eye, or does it refer to internal ingestion. I really would like to start using it again.
Cyclosporine (Restasis) is known to cause tinnitus, hearing loss and other ear problems in a number of people. That’s the bad news.
However, what you really want to know is whether the Cyclosporine is causing your tinnitus and hearing loss or not. I can’t answer that, but I can give you some pointers to help you make up your own mind whether you want to start taking it again or not.
You had been taking Restasis for a number of years in the past. Did your tinnitus get worse after you started taking it? If not, then your tinnitus likely was related to other things, not the Cyclosporine.
What happened when you quit all the drugs you were taking? Did your tinnitus go away, reduce to a lower level, or stay the same? If it reduced in volume or went away, then you can assume your tinnitus was related to one of the drugs you were taking, including the Cyclosporine. If there was no change, then its unlikely your tinnitus was caused by any of your medications, including Cyclosporine.
You can try taking the Cyclosporine again and see if your tinnitus increases. If it does, then you have to decide whether you’d rather have more problems with your eyes, or put up with increased tinnitus.
Regarding using eye drops vs. taking a drug internally, I don’t make any distinction. Who is to say that eye drops don’t cause the same side effects as ingesting the drug does? Some people are more sensitive to any given drug. Thus, what may affect one person may not affect another. That is why I just list the drug and its ototoxic side effects and let each person make up their own mind what they choose to do.
Since Restasis eye drops only contain 0.05% Cyclosporine, I’d think that such a small amount wouldn’t damage your ears—but anything is possible. Therefore, if you decide to take the Cyclosporine again, just watch for your tinnitus. If it gets worse, you know Cyclosporine affects your ears (and could also affect your hearing). If there is no change in your tinnitus, then there is a good chance it isn’t affecting your ears.
To learn which drugs are (or can be) ototoxic, see “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed“. This book contains information on the ototoxicity of 877 drugs, 35 herbs and 148 chemicals.
I have tinnitus and the article was god to read about Restasis.I will stop restasis and see what happens..
thanks
eddie w
I found this helpful, have used restasis for years, developed tinnitus and now vertigo.
Meds always have consequences, hope this can be reversed!
when you stop the Restasis, does it help the horror of vertigo? Please let me know
Hi Linda:
You can hope so, but I have no concrete information on whether Restasis side effects are temporary or permanent.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi, It is so hard to find foods that are no salt or low salt. I reside in a living facility and there food, even tho they do not cook with salt, still has alot of sodium. I had an attack of vertigo 2 days ago. I am so afraid to go out and walk, drive and live a life, being threatened by this horrible disease. I am going to stop the Restasis, only because maybe it will help, alto mydry eye problem (sjorgen) is something else to deal with. Maybe there is an over the counter product that I can find for my eyes. Would you know if there is an eye product that does not have a sodium in it.? Thanks for writing me back. I have to find a way to live some sort of a life.
Hi Linda:
If you have Meniere’s disease, a low salt diet may help reduce the vertigo in some people. In other people it makes no difference. So if a low salt diet doesn’t make any difference to you, there is no point staying on it.
However, there is another treatment for Meniere’s that few know about that has close to 100% success. I wrote about this extensively at http://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/atlas-adjustments-alleviate-menieres-disease/ . You might want to investigate this. As I explain, many people with Meniere’s get rapid relief from their vertigo.using this treatment.
Cordially,
Neil
Do you still have the tinnitus and issues?
i used restasis for a month and half ( 2 boxes) and when it (2 boxes) finished developed tinnitus.
I have used restasis for 4.5 months and now headache stuffed ears ears popping and vertigo. I’ve stopped the restasis but I hope tho ya go back to normal. Did yours?
Hello,
I took Restasis eye drops for 3 days in February 2019 and stopped when I noticed my Eustachian tubes were blocked. I’ve never experienced that before except very temporarily in a plane. This has lasted since March 1 2019 with no improvement. Could it be caused by this drug? I have a history of chronic sinusitis but I’ve never had blocked Eustachian tubes with resultant conductive hearing loss.
Hi Marilyn:
I suppose Cyclosporine (Restasis) could have caused this blocked feeling, but I don’t have any reports of this side effect (but it does cause a number of other ototoxic side effects to be sure). You say you took it for 3 days and then noticed your Eustachian tubes were blocked so you stopped it right away and the blocked feeling has never gone away?
What else was going on at that time? Did you have any allergies or colds or congestion back then? I’m wondering if there was another cause, rather than the Restasis.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi marilyn
Any updates on your blocked tubes?
I took cyclosporine for a day and stopped i hope i didnt do any damage. I am already a tinnitus sufferer since 2012
Hi. I started taking Restasis 2 weeks now and have developed tinnitus. I am going to stop ASAP. I go to the ENT next week and will see what he says. Hopefully I can get this to stop.
Hi Jo:
You are not alone in getting tinnitus from taking Cyclosporine. Hopefully, it will go away when you stop taking it (but there are no guarantees).
Cordially,
Neil
I have taken cyclosporine for just 2 weeks for the most painful disabling dry eyes, already I can feel a difference and improved eye sight.
I suffered tinnitus and vertigo for years with chronic sinus and ear infections.
Nothing to do with cyclosporine.
Lots of people suffer tinnitus and vertigo.
I won’t give up cyclosporine my dry eyes imprisoned me and after lockdown I am hoping to get my life back.
My vertigo I have learnt to live with as had it for over 20 years along with tinnitus but chronic painful dry eyes is far worse.
Hi Ros:
You have to weigh the pros and cons of any drug you take. If you feel the benefits outweigh the side effects, then carry on. That’s your choice. If you feel the side effects outweigh the benefits, then it is prudent to stop that drug.
I’m glad its helping your eyes.
Cordially,
Neil
I started Restasis one week ago. I have suffered with tinnitus now for about three years, but it was livable. After starting Rresasis my eyes started feeling better almost immediately. Nothing else has worked. I noticed my tinnitus was getting worse though. By the third day it was so bad I couldn’t sleep, I had to wear earphones to distract the sound and that did nothing. I called my doctor this morning and she told me to stop the Restasis right away. I’m still dealing with the loud tinnitus. I hope it stops at least gets . lower.. I really don’t know what is the lesser of the two evils. I am wondering if I can use it just once a day instead of twice? Or is there anything else for dry eye that doesn’t cause tinnitus?
Hi Patricia:
You are not alone in developing tinnitus from taking Cyclosporine (Restasis). Other people have reported the same problem.
You may find that taking a lower dose reduces your tinnitus. Sometimes a lower dose of a drug lets you fly under the tinnitus radar, so you could try taking half the dose and see what happens. You might have to do this for a few weeks before you can tell whether your tinnitus will reduce or not.
Note that taking Cyclosporine can deplete your body’s stores of magnesium. This can lead to worse ototoxic side effects. Therefore, if you are going to be taking Cyclosporine, taking magnesium supplements at the same time is probably wise. Note: Magnesium threonate is the most bioavailable form of magnesium. Avoid magnesium oxide as it is the least bioavailable form.
Have you tried TheraTears which is a dry eye lubricant? I’ve never heard of it causing tinnitus. You do not need a prescription for it. So it may be worth a try if you haven’t already tried it.
Cordially,
Neil