Muro 128 Coupons & Prices

Muro 128 is an over-the-counter hypertonic (5% or 2%) sodium chloride eye drop and 5% eye ointment used for the temporary relief of corneal edema, the swelling of the cornea that causes hazy vision and halos. Because it is sold without a prescription, what you pay can vary a lot from one pharmacy to the next, and some shoppers do better with a Muro 128 coupon or when their eye doctor writes it as a prescription. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price at pharmacies near you before you buy.

What is Muro 128 and how does it work?

Muro 128 is a hypertonic (hyperosmotic) ophthalmic saline. The active ingredient is sodium chloride, at a higher salt concentration than your natural tears. When it touches the surface of the eye, osmosis pulls extra fluid out of the swollen cornea. As the swelling goes down, the cloudiness, haze, and halos around lights often improve. Muro 128 comes as a 2% solution, a 5% solution, and a 5% ointment. Other brands of hypertonic sodium chloride ophthalmic products, made by other manufacturers, include Sochlor and Altachlore; these are separate products that share the same active ingredient rather than other names for Muro 128, which is a Bausch + Lomb product.

The labeled use is the temporary relief of corneal edema. In practice that swelling often comes from conditions such as Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy, swelling after cataract or corneal surgery, and bullous keratopathy. Important to understand: it treats the symptom, not the cause. It draws fluid out of the cornea for temporary relief, but it does not fix the underlying condition. The label directs that it be used only under the advice and supervision of a doctor.

How to use it

For the solution, the labeled directions are 1 or 2 drops in the affected eye or eyes every 3 or 4 hours, or as directed by a doctor. For the 5% ointment, the labeled directions are to pull down the lower lid of the affected eye, apply a small amount (about a 1/4 inch strip) to the inside of the eyelid, every 3 or 4 hours or as directed by a doctor. The ointment blurs vision temporarily, and some prescribers direct patients to use it at bedtime for that reason, but that is a prescriber's instruction, not the labeled schedule. Do not let the tip of the bottle or tube touch your eye, your fingers, or any other surface, since that can contaminate the product. This is for external use in the eye only.

Stop using it and ask a doctor if you have eye pain, changes in vision, continued redness or irritation, or if your condition gets worse or lasts more than 72 hours. Keep it out of reach of children. This is general information, not medical advice, so follow the directions your own eye-care provider gives you.

Cost and saving on Muro 128

Muro 128 is an OTC monograph product, so you can buy it off the shelf without a prescription. That also means the price is set by each store and can differ from pharmacy to pharmacy, and between the solution and the ointment. There is no manufacturer copay card for it. Prices vary, so it is worth comparing rather than assuming any one store is cheapest.

Some over-the-counter items are cheaper with a discount coupon, or when your eye doctor writes them as a prescription so the pharmacy rings them through the pharmacy counter instead of the front aisle. Enter your ZIP above to see today's Rx.com price and print or text yourself a free coupon, then compare it against the shelf price where you shop. If you use it every day for a chronic condition like Fuchs' dystrophy, checking a larger size or a generic sodium chloride hypertonic version can also change the math.

Muro 128 vs. other eye drops

The closest alternatives are the other hypertonic saline products: generic sodium chloride ophthalmic, Sochlor, and Altachlore. These are different manufacturers' products with the same active ingredient at the same hypertonic strengths, so they are the closest options if a particular brand is unavailable or priced higher where you shop. Ask your pharmacist which one they actually stock.

Ordinary artificial tears such as Systane and Refresh are not substitutes. They lubricate a dry eye surface but do not have the salt concentration needed to draw fluid out of a swollen cornea. Prescription dry-eye treatments such as Restasis work on a completely different problem (tear production) and do nothing for corneal edema. If your eye doctor told you that you have corneal swelling, a hypertonic saline is the category you want.

Safety and side effects

The most common complaint is temporary burning, stinging, or irritation right after you put it in, which the label lists as expected with this salt-based product and which usually settles quickly. The 5% ointment blurs vision for a while after application; the label still directs applying it every 3 or 4 hours or as your doctor directs, so if your prescriber has told you to use it only at bedtime, follow their instruction. The Drug Facts labels do not address contact lenses, but consumer drug references generally advise removing soft contact lenses before use and waiting about 15 minutes before putting them back in. Ask your eye-care provider what to do in your case.

Ask a doctor if you have eye pain, vision changes, redness or irritation that does not go away, or if things get worse or last more than 72 hours. Never share the bottle or tube with someone else, and do not touch the tip to any surface. This page is information only and is not medical advice; talk with your eye-care provider about whether Muro 128 is right for you.