This article describes possible interactions with ketorolac eye drops. Interactions can cause a drug to have a different effect on the body than expected. Interactions can occur due to medications, alcohol, or certain health conditions.
Ketorolac comes as a liquid solution given as an eye drop. It’s also available as tablets that you swallow, as well as a solution that’s injected into your muscle or into a vein. Interactions of ketorolac may vary depending on the form of ketorolac you’re prescribed.
Other drugs and ketorolac
The drugs in the list below may interact with ketorolac eye drops. This article doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with ketorolac.
Drugs that may interact with ketorolac eye drops include:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that affect your entire body:
- steroid eye drops:
- drug examples: prednisolone (Pred Forte, others), dexamethasone (Maxidex)
- what might happen: can increase the risk of side effects of steroid eye drops and ketorolac eye drops
- anticoagulants:
- drug examples: warfarin (Jantoven), apixaban (Eliquis)
- what might happen: can increase the risk of side effects of anticoagulants and ketorolac eye drops
- antiplatelets:
- what might happen: can increase the risk of side effects of antiplatelets and ketorolac eye drops
- other NSAID eye drops:
- drug examples: diclofenac, flurbiprofen
- what might happen: can increase the risk of side effects of NSAID eye drops and ketorolac eye drops
* For more details about the interaction between ketorolac eye drops and ibuprofen, see the “Questions about ketorolac and interactions” section below.
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When to avoid ketorolac
Certain health conditions or other factors could increase some risks with ketorolac eye drops. Because of this, doctors may not prescribe ketorolac in these cases. These health conditions or other factors are called contraindications.
Here’s a contraindication for ketorolac eye drops:
- Past allergic reaction to ketorolac. If you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to ketorolac eye drops, using it again may cause another allergic reaction.
Before you start using ketorolac eye drops, tell your doctor if the above relates to you. They can recommend whether you should use ketorolac.
Questions about ketorolac and interactions
Here you’ll find answers to some common questions about ketorolac and possible interactions.
What pain reliever can I take with ketorolac eye drops?
If your doctor or pharmacist recommends it, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is usually safe to take with ketorolac eye drops. There’s no known interaction between acetaminophen and ketorolac eye drops.
Ketorolac eye drops can interact with other pain relievers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. (For more details about this interaction, see the the question below.) But this interaction isn’t expected with acetaminophen.
Talk with your doctor to learn more about pain relievers and whether they interact with ketorolac eye drops. You can also see the question below.
Is there an interaction between ibuprofen and ketorolac eye drops?
Yes, ibuprofen and ketorolac eye drops interact. However, your doctor may recommend this combination if they determine it’s safe for you.
Both ketorolac eye drops and ibuprofen can raise your risk of bleeding. With ketorolac eye drops, this risk may be specific to bleeding in your eyes. Ibuprofen, on the other hand, raises the risk of bleeding throughout your body. If these medications are used together, you may have an increased risk of bleeding in your eyes.
However, it’s important to note that ketorolac eye drops aren’t typically used for more than 4 days. This lowers the risk of bleeding since ketorolac eye drops aren’t used long term. It may be safe for you to take ibuprofen while using ketorolac eye drops if your doctor determines it’s safe. They may advise you to watch closely for signs of bleeding, especially in your eyes.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about using ibuprofen and ketorolac eye drops together.
Does ketorolac eye drops have different interactions than ketorolac oral tablet?
Yes, ketorolac eye drops have some different interactions than ketorolac oral tablet.
Ketorolac oral tablet is absorbed by your body and can have systemic effects. (Systemic effects can affect the entire body. They aren’t restricted to one area of your body.) Ketorolac eye drops, on the other hand, are mostly absorbed in your eye. And they are less likely to have systemic effects. But they can still occur in rare cases. This means interactions between the forms may vary.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn more about how different forms of ketorolac compare.
Alcohol and ketorolac
Ketorolac eye drops are not known to interact with alcohol.
If you drink alcohol and have questions about consuming it while using ketorolac eye drops, talk with your doctor.
Other interactions and ketorolac
Interactions can occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, and some lab tests. Below you can learn whether ketorolac eye drops have these interactions.
The information below doesn’t include all other possible interactions with ketorolac.
Ketorolac and supplements
Before using ketorolac eye drops, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs you take, as well as vitamins and supplements. Doing so may help you avoid interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Ketorolac interactions with herbs
Ketorolac eye drops may interact with numerous herbs, including:
Using ketorolac eye drops and any of these herbal supplements may lead to an increased risk of bleeding. Because of this, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while using ketorolac eye drops.
Ketorolac interactions with vitamins
Ketorolac eye drops aren’t known to interact with any vitamins. But this doesn’t mean interactions with vitamins can’t happen or won’t be identified later.
Because of this, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while using ketorolac eye drops.
Ketorolac and food
Ketorolac eye drops aren’t known to interact with foods. But this doesn’t mean interactions with foods can’t happen or won’t be identified later.
Because of this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what foods you should avoid while using ketorolac eye drops.
Note: Ketorolac can interact with certain herbal supplements, some of which are also found in food. Examples include garlic and cranberry. However, the amount of garlic or cranberry in food is much less than what’s found in a supplement. For more information, see the “Ketorolac interactions with herbs” section above.
Ketorolac and vaccines
Ketorolac eye drops aren’t known to interact with any vaccines. But this doesn’t mean interactions with vaccines can’t happen or won’t be identified later.
Because of this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before receiving any vaccines while using ketorolac eye drops.
Ketorolac and lab tests
Ketorolac eye drops aren’t known to interact with lab tests. But this doesn’t mean interactions with lab tests can’t happen or won’t be identified later.
Because of this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before having any tests while using ketorolac eye drops.
Ketorolac and cannabis or CBD
Ketorolac eye drops aren’t known to interact with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But this doesn’t mean interactions can’t happen or won’t be identified later.
As with any drug or supplement, tell your doctor before taking cannabis with ketorolac.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Health factors and ketorolac
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may increase the risk of interactions with ketorolac eye drops. Before using ketorolac, tell your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether ketorolac is right for you.
These health conditions or other factors might interact with ketorolac eye drops:
Preventing ketorolac interactions
You may be able to help avoid certain interactions with ketorolac eye drops. Before using this drug, you may want to discuss possible interactions with your doctor and pharmacist.
Things to consider include:
Using ketorolac exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
What to ask your doctor
If you have questions about ketorolac and possible interactions, talk with your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
- If I have a headache while taking ketorolac eye drops, what options do I have to relieve my headache?
- If I’m using other eye drops besides ketorolac, do I need to space apart my doses to avoid interactions?
- Do other eye drops that could treat my condition have similar interactions?
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
