Ketotifen: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

What is ketotifen?

Use Temporarily relieves itchy eyes due to pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander.

What kind of drug is ketotifen?

The FDA classifies ketotifen as a histamine-1 receptor inhibitor. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.

Can you take ketotifen with other medicines?

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run ketotifen against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What brand names is ketotifen sold under?

We track 4 ketotifen-containing products in the U.S.: Acuvue Theravision with Ketotifen, Alaway, Children's Alaway and Zaditor. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.

What forms does ketotifen come in?

Across the brands we track, ketotifen is currently marketed as drug-eluting contact lens, drops and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Is there a generic ketotifen?

We do not currently list a generic-labelled ketotifen product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.