Timolol Ophthalmic Description

Generic Name : TIMOLOL OPHTHALMIC

Pronunciation : (tye' moe lole)

Trade Name(s) : (tye' moe lole)

Why it is prescribed: Timolol ophthalmic reduces pressure in the eyeball. It is used to treat glaucoma and other eye diseases when increased pressure can lead to gradual loss of vision.

When it is to be taken: Timolol usually is used twice a day, at evenly spaced intervals, until pressure in your eyeball is controlled. Then you may need to use it only once a day. Timolol ophthalmic controls pressure in the eye but does not cure it. Do not stop using it unless instructed to do so by your doctor. Try to take it at approximately the same times each day to help you remember to apply each dose. Follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully.

How it should be taken: Timolol ophthalmic comes in eyedrops. Usually, one drop is applied twice a day. To use the eyedrops, follow these steps:
1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
2. Use a mirror or have someone else put the drops in your eye.
3. Make sure that the end of the dropper is not chipped or cracked.
4. Avoid touching the dropper tip against your eye or anything else.
5. Hold the dropper tip down at all times to prevent drops from flowing back into the bottle and contaminating the remaining contents.
6. Lie down or tilt your head back.
7. Holding the bottle between your thumb and index finger, place the dropper tip as near as possible to your eyelid without touching it.
8. Brace the remaining fingers of that hand against your cheek or nose.
9. With the index finger of your other hand, pull the lower lid of the eye down to form a pocket.
10. Drop the prescribed number of drops into the pocket made by the lower lid and the eye. Placing drops on the surface of the eyeball can cause stinging.
11. Close your eye for two to three minutes to keep the medication in the eye.
12. Replace and tighten the cap right away. Do not wipe or rinse it off.
13. Wipe off any excess liquid from your cheek with a clean tissue. Wash your hands again.

Special Instruction :
1. Use only the amount prescribed by your doctor. Be careful not to contaminate the dropper tip by touching your eye or eyelid.
2. If pain and blurred vision develop or persist, consult your doctor.
3. Keep all appointments with your doctor; you should have the pressure in your eyeball measured regularly.
4. If you forget to apply a dose, apply it as soon as you remember and apply any remaining doses for that day at evenly spaced intervals. Do not apply more than one dose at a time.

Side Effects :
1. Eye irritation, headache, depression, dizziness, nausea. If these effects are severe or persist, contact your doctor.
2. Slow or irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, sudden weight gain, swelling of feet or lower legs, fainting. Stop using the drug and contact your doctor.

Other Precautions :
1. Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are taking, especially medication for high blood pressure and any eye medication.
2. If you presently use another glaucoma medication, ask your doctor if you should continue to use it. If you are to stop using the first glaucoma drug and start using timolol, your doctor probably will want you to overlap therapies and use both drugs for one day before stopping the first drug.
3. Ask your doctor for specific instructions. Do not take nonprescription cold medication without first consulting your doctor.
4. If you have a history of asthma or other breathing problems or heart disease, tell your doctor before using this medication.
5. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should inform their doctors. Do not allow anyone else to use this medication.

Storage Conditions :
1. Store this medication at room temperature and out of the reach of children.
2. Timolol eye drops are clear to light yellow. If they become discolored or cloudy, obtain a fresh bottle.