How does it work?

This medicine contains the active ingredient latanoprost, which is a man-made version of a naturally-occuring prostaglandin. It is used to treat raised pressure within the eyeball. 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, and 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 as a result impair vision. Latanoprost works by increasing the drainage of aqueous humour out of the eyeball. This decreases the pressure within the eye. The medicine is most effective if the drops are applied in the evening.

What is it used for?

Open angle glaucoma

Raised pressure in the eye (ocular hypertension)

Warning!

Contact lenses should not be worn during treatment with this product.

This medicine may cause your vision to blur temporarily after you have applied it into your eye. Do not drive or operate machinery until this has worn off.

There is insufficient information regarding the safety and efficacy of this medicine in children. It is not recommended for children.

This medicine is not to be taken by mouth.

It is recommended that after administering this eye preparation, you press on the tear duct (at the corner of the eye closest to your nose), or gently close your eyes for about three minutes, in order to minimise the amount of medicine absorbed into the bloodstream and increase the local effect in the eye.

If you are using more than one type of eye drop you should administer them at least five minutes apart, to prevent the second drop washing away the first. Use eye gels or ointments last.

This medicine 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 the drops are only used in one eye, this may cause your eyes to become different colours.

While using this medicine you should have regular eye examinations.

This medicine should be stored in at 2-8°C in a refigerator before opening. After opening it may kept outside of the fridge, but do not store it above 25°C. Write the date you open it on the container and discard any unused medicine four weeks after opening.

Use with caution in

Absence of the lens of the eye (aphakia)

Closed angle glaucoma

Closed or blocked retinal vein

Diabetes affecting the eyes

Glaucoma caused by accumulation of pigment particles in the drainage channels of the eye(pigmentary glaucoma)

Glaucoma due to inflammation inside the eye

Glaucoma due to the growth of new blood vessels over the iris

Inflammatory conditions of the eye, eg conjunctivitis

Inherited glaucoma

People with an artificial lens in the eye (pseudophakia)

Severe or poorly controlled asthma

Not to be used in

Breastfeeding

Pregnancy

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.

The safety of this medicine during pregnancy has not been established, therefore it should not be used by pregnant women. Consult your doctor.

This medicine passes into breast milk. Breastfeeding mothers should therefore either stop breastfeeding while taking this medicine, or not take this medicine. Seek 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.

Rash

Inflammation of the front parts of the eye (uveitis)

Difficulty in breathing (dyspnoea)

Eye pain

Inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis)

Change in colour of the iris (the coloured part of the eye)

Darkening, thickening and lengthening of the eyelashes

Red eye due to excess blood supply (hyperaemia)

Darkening of the eyelid

Swelling around the eye due to excess fluid retention (oedema)

Eye irritation

Sensation of something in the eye

Blurred vision after application

Inflammation of the iris (iritis)

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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