Lumigan (bimatoprost)

- 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.
- Lumigan 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.
- Lumigan 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 the bottle 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.
- 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 permanently become different colours. Ask your doctor, eye specialist or pharmacist for more information.
- While using this medicine you should have regular eye examinations.

Use with caution in

- Decreased kidney function
- Moderate to severely 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
- 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
- Disorders of the back of the eye (cornea)
- Dry eyes
- Disease affecting the airways or lungs (respiratory disease), eg asthma.

Not to be used in

- 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.

- The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. It should not be used in pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor. 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.
- It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk after being applied into the eye. The manufacturer states that it is not recommended for 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.

- Growth and darkening of eyelashes
- Red eye(s) due to excess blood supply (hyperaemia)
- Burning, itching or painful sensations in the eye(s)
- Change in colour of the iris (the coloured part of the eye - see warning above)
- Dry eye(s)
- Inflammation of the lining of the eye(s), causing pain and redness (conjunctivitis)
- Inflammation of the eyelid(s) (blepharitis)
- Sensation of something in the eye(s)
- Dislike of light (photophobia)
- Itching, redness or swelling of the eyelid(s)
- Darkening of the eyelid(s) or skin around the eye(s)
- Partial loss of vision due to opacity in the lens of the eye(s) (cataracts)
- Headache
- Increased blood pressure (hypertension)
- Inflammation of the iris (iritis)
- Inflammation of the front parts of the eye(s) (uveitis)
- Swelling of the area at the back of the eye responsible for seeing fine detail (macular oedema)
- Dizziness
- Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia)
- Disturbances of liver function

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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