Can you take fluorescein while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Because absorption from the eye is limited, fluorescein 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.
After intravenous use in a nursing mother, milk levels and the dose received by the infant are much higher than with ophthalmic use. It is unlikely that these higher levels are problematic for most infants, but exposure to intense light, such as phototherapy, should probably be avoided for a few days after the maternal dose. Fluorescein injection is transferred into human milk for up to 4 days following IV administration.
Quoted from Fluorescein — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2026.
How much fluorescein gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. A woman received 5 mL of 10% fluorescein (500 mg) injection shortly after delivering a set of twins. Milk samples were obtained periodically by manual expression for 76 hours after the dose. The highest concentration of 372 mcg/L was obtained in the first sample 6 hours after the dose. By 76 hours after the dose, the milk fluorescein concentration was 170 mcg/L. The half-life of fluorescein in milk was 62 hours.
A mother nursing a 3-month-old infant had 2% fluorescein drops applied into each eye. Blood and milk samples were taken 3 times at 30-minute intervals after the dose. Milk levels at these times were 20, 22 and 15 mcg/L, respectively.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take fluorescein while breastfeeding?
Because absorption from the eye is limited, fluorescein would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
Does fluorescein pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for fluorescein are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking fluorescein?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on fluorescein
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.