Side Effects

Side Effects of Latanoprost Timolol Eye Drops

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS

Like all medicines, these eye drops can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. You can usually carry on taking the drops, unless the effects are serious. If you’re worried, talk to a doctor or pharmacist. Do not stop using these eye drops without speaking to your doctor. Listed below are known side effects of these eye drops. The most important side-effect is the possibility of a gradual, permanent change in your eye colour. It is also possible that these eye drops might cause serious changes in the way your heart works. If you notice changes in your heart rate or heart function you should speak to a doctor and tell them you have been using these eye drops. The following are the known side effects of using this eye drops: Very common- (may affect more than 1 in 10 people) • A gradual change in your eye colour by increasing the amount of brown pigment in the coloured part of the eye known as the iris. If you have mixed-colour eyes (blue-brown, grey-brown, yellow brown or green-brown) you are more likely to see this change than if you have eyes of one colour (blue, grey, green or brown eyes). Any changes in your eye colour may take years to develop. The colour change may be permanent and may be more noticeable if you use these eye drops in only one eye. There appears to be no problems associated with the change in eye colour. The eye colour change does not continue after these eye drops are stopped. Common- (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) • Eye irritation (a feeling of burning, grittiness, itching, stinging or the sensation of a foreign body in the eye) and eye pain. Uncommon- (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) • Headache. • Redness of the eye, eye infection (conjunctivitis), blurred vision, watery eyes, swelling (inflammation) of the eyelids, irritation or disruption of the surface of the eye • Skin rashes or itching (pruritus) Other side effects Although not seen with these eye drops, the following additional side effects have been seen with Latanoprost and Timolol, which are in these eye drops. They might occur when you use these eye drops. The following side effects have been seen with latanoprost: Infections and Infestations: • Developing a viral infection of the eye caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Immune System Disorders: • Symptoms of allergic reaction (swelling and redness of the skin and rash). Psychiatric Disorders: • Depression, memory loss, decreased sex drive, inability to sleep, nightmares. Nervous System Disorders: • Dizziness, tingling or numbness in the skin, changes in blood flow to the brain, worsening of symptoms of myasthenia gravis (if you already suffer from this condition), sudden fainting or feeling you may faint (syncope). Eye Disorders: • Changes to the eyelashes and fine hairs around the eye (increased number, length, thickness and darkening), changes to the direction of eyelash growth, swelling around the eye, swelling of the coloured part of the eye (iritis/uveitus), scarring of the surface of the eye. swelling at the back of the eye (macular oedema), inflammation/irritation of the surface of the eye (keratitis), dryeyes, fluid filled cyst within the coloured part of the eye (iris cyst), light sensitivity (photophobia), sunken eye appearance (deepening of the eye sulcus). Ear Disorders: • Whistling/ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Heart (Cardiac) Disorders: • Angina, Worsening of angina, awareness of heart rhythm (palpitations). Breathing (Respiratory) Disorders: • Asthma, worsening of asthma, shortness of breath. Skin Disorders: • Darkening of the skin around the eyes. Muscle and Skeletal Disorders: • Joint pain, muscle pain General Disorders: • Chest pain Like other medicines applied into the eyes, these eye drops are absorbed into the blood. The timolol portion of this combination may cause similar side effects as seen with intravenous and/ or oral betablocking agents. Incidence of side effects after topical ophthalmic administration is lower than when medicines are, for example, taken by mouth or injected. Listed side effects include reactions seen within the class of beta-blockers when used for treating eye conditions: • Generalised allergic reactions including swelling beneath the skin that can occur in areas such as the face and limbs and can obstruct the airway which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing, hives or itchy rash, localised and generalised rash, itchiness, severe sudden life-threatening allergic reaction. • Low blood glucose levels • Depression, memory loss, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), nightmares, hallucinations. • Fainting, stroke, reduced blood supply to the brain, increases in signs and symptoms of myasthenia gravis (muscle disorder), dizziness, unusual sensations like pins and needles and headache • Signs and symptoms of eye irritation (e.g. burning, stinging, itching, tearing, redness), inflammation of eyelid, inflammation in the cornea, blurred vision and detachment of the layer below the retina that contains blood vessels following filtration surgery which may cause visual disturbances, decreased corneal sensitivity, dry eyes, corneal erosion (damage to the front layer of the eyeball), drooping of the upper eyelid (making the eye stay half closed), double vision. • Slow heart rate, chest pains, awareness of heart beat (palpitations), oedema (fluid buildup), changes in rhythm or speed of the heartbeat and congestive heart failure (heart disease with shortness of breath and swelling of the feet and legs due to fluid buildup), a type of heart rhythm disorder, heart attack, heart failure • Low blood pressure, Raynaud’s phenomenon and cold hands and feet • Difficulty breathing, cough, constriction of the airways in the lungs (predominantly in patients with pre- existing disease) • Feeling sick (nausea), diarrhoea, dry mouth, taste disturbances, indigestion, abdominal pain, vomiting • hair loss/baldness, skin rash, skin rash with white silvery coloured appearance (psoriasiform rash) or worsening of psoriasis • Muscle pain not caused by exercise • Muscle weakness/ tiredness • Sexual dysfunction, decreased libido In very rare cases, some patients with severe damage to the clear layer at the front of the eye (the cornea) have developed cloudy patches on the cornea due to calcium build-up during treatment. Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet