Cosopt Eye Drop 5 ml

What is Dorzolamide/ Timolol and what is used for:

• This product consists of Dorzolamide and Timolol.
• Dorzolamide is a medicine that belongs to a class of medicines known as "carbonic anhydrase inhibitors".
• It is used to lower elevated pressure in the eye and to treat glaucoma.
• Timolol is a medicine that belongs to a class of medicines known as “Beta-blockers”.
• This medicine is used to lower elevated pressure in the eye when a beta-blocker is not enough if given alone.

Do not use Dorzolamide/ Timolol:

• If you are allergic to Dorzolamide/ Timolol or any of the ingredients in this medicine.
• Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
• If you have severe kidney problems, or a previous history of kidney stones.
• If you suffer from excess blood acidity due to a chloride build-up in the blood.
• If you have now or had in the past respiratory problems, such as asthma or severe chronic obstructive bronchitis (severe lung disease which may cause wheeziness, difficulty in breathing and/or long-standing cough).
• If you have heart failure, slow heart rate, or problems of heart rhythm.

Warnings and precautions:

• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you develop allergic reactions such as shortness of breath, skin rash, swelling of the face or neck, decreased blood pressure and dizziness.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any medical problems you currently have or have previously had, including eye problems and eye surgeries, and about any allergies to any medications.
• Talk to your doctor right away if you experience any eye irritation or any new eye problems such as swelling or redness of the eye or eyelids.
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you have any liver problems.
• This product contains a preservative known as benzalkonium chloride which can affect the color your soft contact lenses and may also cause eye irritation especially if you have cornea problems or eye dryness, therefore make sure that you remove your soft contact lens before you apply the eye drop and wait at least 15 minutes before you put your contact lens back.
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you currently have or have previously had heart failure, abnormal heartbeats, coronary heart disease (heart problem that may cause choking, chest pain or tightness and difficulty breathing) or low blood pressure.
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you currently have or have previously had breathing problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma.
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you currently have or have previously had poor blood circulation disease (e.g.Raynaud's disease).
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you currently have or have previously had diabetes as this medicine may hide signs and symptoms of low blood sugar.
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you currently have or have previously had overactive thyroid gland as this medicine may hide signs and symptoms.
• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you wear soft contact lenses.

• Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you have a planned surgical procedure as this medicine may alter the effects of some medications used during anesthesia.

• Seek your physician advice immediately if you experience eye infection, eye irritation or any new eye problems (e.g.Swelling of the eyelids or eye redness).

• Talk to your doctor if you have an eye injury.

• Talk to your doctor if your eye condition is getting worse or if you experience new symptoms.

• This product contains a preservative known as benzalkonium chloride which can affect the color your soft contact lenses and may also cause eye irritation especially if you have cornea problems or eye dryness, therefore make sure that you remove your soft contact lens before you apply the eye drop and wait at least 15 minutes before you put your contact lens back.

• Talk to your doctor if you feel abnormal eye sensation (pain or stinging) in your eye after applying the eye drop.

• Talk to your doctor if you suffer from muscle weakness or have been previously diagnosed with myasthenia gravis.

Possible side effects:

• Very common side effects include burning and stinging of the eyes.
• Common side effects include itching of the eye (s), eye watering, redness in and around the eye, damage to the front layer of the eyeball, irritation and swelling in and around the eye(s), tiredness, feeling of having a foreign object in the eye, not knowing of having something in the eye and not feeling any pain, eye pain, eye dryness, blurred vision, headache, sinusitis, fatigue and nausea.

Other medicines and Dorzolamide/ Timolol :

• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medications including eye drops (especially carbonic anhydrase inhibitors e.g.Acetazolamide).
• If you are using more than one eye drop solution, make sure to administer each at least five minutes apart to avoid precipitation of the eye drop.
• If you are taking medicines used to treat high blood pressure.
• If you are taking heart medicines.
• If you are taking MAO inhibitors (used to treat depression).
• If you are taking medicines used to treat diabetes.
• If you are taking a calcium antagonist (e.g.Verapamil, nifedipine, diltiazem; used to treat angina, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat or Raynaud’s disease).
• If you are taking narcotics (painkillers e.g morphine)
• If you are taking parasympathomimetic medicines (used to help you urinate).
• If you are taking digoxin (used to treat heart failure or abnormal heartbeat).
• If you are taking catecholamine-depleting agents (e.g.Rauwolfia alkaloids or reserpine; used for high blood pressure).
• If you are taking pressor amines (e.g.Adrenaline; used to treat severe allergic reactions).
• If you are taking quinidine (used to treat heart problems and some types of malaria).
• If you are taking fluoxetine or paroxetine (antidepressants).
• If you are taking clonidine (used to treat high blood pressure).
• If you are taking other beta-blockers taken orally or as eye drops.
• If you are taking other carbonic anhydrase medicines.

How to apply Dorzolamide/ Timolol:

Children:

• This medicine has not been studied enough in infants and children.

Elderly:

• The effects of this medicine were shown to be the same in both elderly and younger patients.

• Recommended dose is one drop in the affected eye (s) in the morning and in the evening.
• Use your eye drops solution as directed by your doctor.
• Do not apply your eye drops in both eyes unless prescribed by your doctor.
• Use your medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
• Tear open the overwrap pouch of the bottle right before using it for the first time and write the date of opening on the carton in the space provided.
• Do not open the overwrap until you need to use the bottle.
• Wash your hands.
• Uncap the bottle.
• Tilt your head slightly backward and pull down the lower eyelid making a pocket.
• Keep the bottle above the eye with the tip facing down.
• Look upward and away from the bottle.
• Avoid contact of the eye drop tip with your eye or other surfaces to prevent bacterial contamination which may lead to eye infection and serious eye damage.
• Then press on the container to release a drop.
• Let go of the lower eyelid and keep the eyes closed for 2 minutes.
• If an eye drop is missed, repeat the steps.
• Wipe off any excess drops from your cheeks.
• Repeat the steps for the other eye if your doctor told you to apply your medicine in both eyes.
• Close the bottle cap tightly when you are done using it.

• Contact your doctor if you suspect that your eye drop is contaminated.
• Space your eye drops by at least 10 minutes.

How to store Dorzolamide/ Timolol:

• Discard the bottle 4 weeks after its opening even if it is not empty and use a new bottle.
• Write down the date at which you opened the bottle (for the first time) on the available space of the carton box.
• Keep out of the reach of children and pets.
• This eye drop does not require any specific temperature storage conditions.
• Do not use beyond the expiry date mentioned on the box.
• Keep away from light.
• Do not dispose in the wastewater or household waste.
• Ask your pharmacist how you can dispose medicines you no longer need.