Ganfort

How does it work?

Ganfort eye drops contain two active ingredients, bimatoprost and timolol maleate. These are both medicines that decrease raised pressure within the eye. They work in different ways to produce a combined effect greater than either medicine produces on its own.

The pressure within the eyeball is naturally maintained by a continuous flow of liquid called aqueous humour through the eyeball. Aqueous humour is produced by a part of the eye called the ciliary body. It drains out of the eyeball through channels called the trabecular meshwork. If the outflow of aqueous humour is blocked, the aqueous humour builds up inside the eye, increasing the pressure within the eyeball. This pressure needs to be reduced, as otherwise it can damage the optic nerve and impair vision as a result.

Bimatoprost reduces the pressure in the eye by mimicking the action of a naturally-occuring prostaglandin. Prostaglandins are a group of natural body chemicals found in many places in the body. In the eye, they increase the drainage of the aqueous humour out of the eyeball. Bimatoprost is a synthetic compound related to one of the natural prostaglandins. It works by increasing the drainage of aqueous humour out of the eyeball. This decreases the pressure within the eye.

Timolol is a type of medicine called a beta-blocker. These medicines block beta-receptors in various parts of the body. Blocking the beta receptors in the eye reduces the amount of aqueous humour that is produced. Timolol therefore reduces the inflow of aqueous humour into the eyeball and so decreases the pressure within the eye in a different way.

The combination of these two medicines is used to lower the pressure in the eye when one of the medicines does not lower the pressure enough on its own.

The eye drops should be put into the affected eye(s) once a day, preferably in the morning.

What is it used for?

Open angle glaucoma

Raised pressure in the eye (ocular hypertension).

Warning!

This medicine is not to be taken by mouth.

When using these eye drops you should take care to not touch the dropper tip to any surface, or to your eye, in order to avoid contaminating the eye drops.

Ganfort eye drops contain the preservative benzalkonium chloride, which can be absorbed by contact lenses and cause eye irritation. If you wear contact lenses, you should remove them before putting in these eye drops. You should wait at least 15 minutes after using the drops before putting your contact lenses back in.

It is recommended that immediately after administering the eye drops, you press on the tear duct (at the corner of the eye closest to your nose) for about one minute. This is to minimise the amount of medicine that may be absorbed into the bloodstream and increase the local effect in the eye.

These eye drops may cause your vision to blur temporarily after you have put them in your eye. Do not drive or operate machinery until this has worn off. You should also take into account that this medicine can sometimes cause other visual disturbances, eg double vision, and dizziness or fatigue, all of which may affect your ability to drive or operate machinary.

Ganfort eye drops are sterile until opened. The bottles contain a preservative that helps keep the eye drops sterile once they are in use. However, any medicine remaining in the bottle after it has been open for four weeks or more is likely to be contaminated with germs and should no longer be used. Dispose of carefully, preferably by returning to your pharmacy. You may find it helpful to write the date of first opening on the packet.

Bimatoprost can cause your eye colour to gradually change, by increasing the amount of brown pigment in your iris. This is not associated with any symptoms and is not harmful. It predominately happens in people with green-brown, yellow-brown or blue/grey-brown eyes. If these eye drops are only used in one eye, this may cause your eyes to permanently become different colours. Ask your doctor, eye specialist or pharmacist for more information.

While using this medicine you should have regular eye examinations.

Beta-blockers such as timolol can be absorbed into the bloodstream after being applied into the eye. They may mask the symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) such as increased heart rate, tremor and nausea. For this reason, people with diabetes should carefully monitor their blood sugar while using these eye drops.

Beta-blockers such as timolol can increase sensitivity to substances which cause allergy and the seriousness of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). People who experience an anaphylactic reaction while using this medicine may need larger than normal doses of adrenaline to treat the reaction. Seek further medical advice from your doctor if you have a history of allergies.

Use with caution in

Decreased kidney function

Decreased liver function

Closed angle glaucoma

Glaucoma caused by the growth of new blood vessels over the iris (neovascular glaucoma)

Glaucoma caused by inflammation inside the eye (inflammatory glaucoma)

Glaucoma present from birth (congenital glaucoma)

Inflammatory conditions of the eye, eg conjunctivitis

Disorders of the back of the eye (cornea)

Dry eyes

People with an artificial lens in the eye (pseudophakia)

People with no lens in the eye (aphakia)

Closed or blocked retinal vein

Diabetes affecting the eyes

Diabetes

People who suffer from drops in blood sugar

History of severe heart disease

Heart failure

A severe form of angina pectoris, not caused by exertion (Prinzmetal's angina)

Severe disorders of blood circulation

Low blood pressure (hypotension)

Overactive thyroid gland

History of allergies

Psoriasis

Abnormal muscle weakness (myaesthenia gravis).

Not to be used in

Asthma or history of asthma

Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Slow heart rate caused by the pacemaker of the heart (sinus bradycardia)

Serious defect in the heart's electrical message pathways resulting in decreased function of the heart (2nd or 3rd degree heart block)

Uncontrolled heart failure

Failure of the heart to maintain adequate circulation of blood (cardiogenic shock)

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding.

This medicine is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years of age, as there is no information regarding its safety and efficacy in this age group.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

This medicine should not be used during pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor, as it may be absorbed into the bloodstream and could be harmful to the unborn baby. Women who could get pregnant should use an effective method of contraception to avoid getting pregnant while using these eye drops. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

Timolol passes into breast milk after being applied into the eye. It is not known if bimatoprost passes into breast milk. The manufacturer states that these eye drops should not be used by women who are breastfeeding. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Red eye(s) due to increased blood supply (hyperaemia)

Growth and darkening of eyelashes

Eye irritation including stinging, burning and itching

Sensation of something in the eye(s)

Dry eye(s)

Eye pain

Dislike of light (photophobia)

Corneal erosion

Redness, itching or swelling of the eyelid(s)

Darkening of the eyelid(s) or skin around the eye(s)

Inflammation of the eyelid(s) (blepharitis)

Inflammation of the iris (iritis)

Eye discharge

Headache

Inflammation of the lining of the nose (rhinitis)

Change in colour of the iris (the coloured part of the eye - see warning above)

Partial loss of vision due to opacity in the lens of the eye(s) (cataracts)

Dizziness

Slowed or irregular heart rate

Changes in blood pressure

Shortness of breath

Swelling of the area at the back of the eye responsible for seeing fine detail (macular oedema)

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

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