Xalacom (latanoprost, timolol)

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

You should always tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already using, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any new medicines while using this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

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.

Eye drops can be absorbed into the bloodstream from the eye, and once in the bloodstream they have the potential to interact with other medicines. For this reason you should be aware of the following:

In people with diabetes, timolol can prolong the lowering of blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) caused by insulin or other antidiabetic medicines. People with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar, as timolol can also mask the signs of hypoglycaemia.

The timolol in these eye drops may enhance the effects of the following medicines taken by mouth, which may result in low blood pressure and/or a slowed heart rate:

- beta-blockers, eg atenolol
- calcium channel blockers, eg nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem
- digoxin
- medicines for abnormal heart rhythms (antiarrhythmics), eg amiodarone.

If the medicine clonidine is suddenly stopped it can cause an increase in blood pressure. This increase in blood pressure may be worse in people taking beta-blockers, including eye drops such as this one.

Beta-blockers oppose the action of medicines for asthma that open the airways, which is why these eye drops should not be used by people with asthma or other breathing difficulties.

Xalacom eye drops should not be used in combination with other prostaglandin analogue eye drops, because the combination may actually increase the pressure in the eye.

Other beta-blocker eye drops are not recommended for use in combination with Xalacom eye drops.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredients

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain both latanoprost and timolol as the active ingredients.

Xalatan eye drops contain just latanoprost.

Nyogel, Timoptol and Timoptol-LA eye drops contain just timolol.

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