Brinzolamide Ophthalmic : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More

Brinzolamide ophthalmic is used to treat glaucoma, a condition that increases pressure in the eye and leads to loss of vision. Brinzolamide is in a class of medications called carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Decreases pressure in the eye.

Brinzolamide ophthalmic comes as a solution (liquid) to instill into the eyes. It is usually instilled three times a day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any parts you do not understand. Use brinzolamide eye drops exactly as directed. Do not use more or less or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Brinzolamide eye drops control glaucoma but do not cure it. Keep using brinzolamide eye drops even if you feel fine. Do not stop using brinzolamide eye drops without consulting your doctor.

To instill the eye drops, follow these steps:

1. Wash your hands well with soap and water.
2. Check the dropper tip to make sure it is not chipped or cracked.
3. Avoid touching the tip of the dropper against your eye or anything else; eye drops and droppers must be kept clean.
4. While tilting your head back, lower the lower lid of your eye with your index finger to form a pocket.
5. Hold the dropper (tip down) with the other hand, as close to the eye as possible without touching it.
6. Rest the remaining fingers of that hand against your face.
7. While looking up, gently squeeze the dropper so that a single drop falls into the pocket formed by the lower eyelid. Remove your index finger from the lower eyelid.
8. Close your eye for 2 to 3 minutes and tilt your head down as if looking at the ground. Try not to blink or squeeze your eyelids.
9. Place a finger over the tear duct and apply gentle pressure.
10. Wipe any excess fluid from your face with a tissue.
11. If you are going to use more than one drop in the same eye, wait at least 5 minutes before instilling the next drop.
12. Replace and tighten the dropper bottle cap. Do not clean or rinse the dropper tip.
13. Wash your hands to remove any medication.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Before using brinzolamide eye drops,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to brinzolamide eye drops, other antibiotics, sulfonamides, or any other medications.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially acetazolamide (Diamox), dichlorphenamide (Daranide), eye medications, methazolamide (Neptazane), aspirin-containing products, and vitamins, and herbal products.
• If you are using another topical eye medication, instill it 10 minutes before or 10 minutes after applying brinzolamide eye drops.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using brinzolamide eye drops.
• If you have an eye injury or infection, call your doctor to see if you should still use the same bottle of eye drops.
• Tell your doctor if you wear soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using the medicine to put on the soft contact lenses.
• Be careful when driving or operating machinery because vision may become blurry after inserting the drops.

Instill the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not give a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Brinzolamide eye drops may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• blurred vision
• bitter, sour, or unusual taste after instilling the drops
• dry eyes
• feeling that something is in your eye
• headache
• runny nose

If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop using brinzolamide eye drops and call your doctor immediately:

• itching eyes or skin
• redness or swelling of eyes, lips, tongue, or skin
• watery eyes
• eye pain
• skin rash, hives, or skin changes
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• sore throat
• fever
• chest pain

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor can submit a report online to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medicine in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children. Store at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Unnecessary medications must be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and others cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medicine down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medications is through a drug take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage / recycling department to find out about take-back programs in your community. Check out the FDA drug safe disposal website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children, since many containers (such as those containing weekly pills and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not resistant to children and small children can easily open them. To protect young children from poisoning, always close the safety caps and immediately place the medicine in a safe place, one that is upright and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Keep all your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor will order certain eye tests to check your response to brinzolamide eye drops.

Don’t let anyone use your medicine. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important that you keep a written list of all prescription and over-the-counter (over-the-counter) medications you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should take this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you go into hospital. It is also important information to take with you in case of emergencies.