Cosopt Side Effects
Serious Side Effects of Cosopt
- changes in vision, blurry vision, or vision loss
- enlargement of the hands feet, ankles, or lower legs
- eye infection such as pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- inflammation or irritation of the eyelid
- allergic reaction: skin rash or redness, hives, trouble breathing or swelling of the eyes, mouth, lips, throat or face
Common Side Effects of Cosopt
- changes in taste or unpleasant taste
- irritation, burning, or stinging of the eyes
- dryness of the eyes
- watery eyes
- feeling dizzy
Signs of an Overdose of Cosopt
If more Cosopt is taken than recommended, you may be at risk of an
overdose. If you develop the following symptoms,
call your doctor at once:
- feeling dizzy or confused
- headache
- trouble breathing or shortness of breath even with mild exertion
- tension or pain in the chest
Warnings & Recalls for Cosopt
Cosopt and Pregnancy
The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has listed Cosopt as a
pregnancy Category C drug. It has
not been confirmed if Cosopt may cause harm to the
fetus if taken during pregnancy. It is
unknown if Cosopt may pass through the breast-milk and cause harm to a
nursing baby. If you are
pregnant,
may become pregnant or are
breastfeeding,
do not use Cosopt without first discussing with your doctor the risks and benefits of using this medication.
General Warnings
In
October of 2008, the FDA approved safety labeling changes for Cosopt to include
warnings about an
increased risk of developing
corneal edema (swelling of the cornea) in patients with a
low endothelial cell count.
Before taking Cosopt,
let your doctor know about any of the following you may have:
- allergies, especially to other eye treatments
- asthma or any breathing disorder
- heart disease or disorder
- diabetes
- an overactive thyroid gland
- liver or kidney disease or failure
- musculoskeletal disorder (myasthenia gravis)
- eye injuries or infections
Be sure to let
all healthcare providers know that you are using Cosopt as a treatment, and tell them about
any other medications you may be taking.
If you are scheduled to have
surgery (including dental work), notify your doctors ahead of time that you are using Cosopt.
While using Cosopt, store product properly and
do not let the dropper make contact with any surface.
Contamination of the eye dropper could lead to an
eye infection,
vision loss or
eye damage.
Cosopt Treatment and Use
Cosopt | Dorzolamide and Timolol Ophthalmic is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and beta-blocker medicine marketed by Merck & Co. and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1998 for treating various eye conditions. Cosopt may be prescribed for:
- treating glaucoma
- reducing ocular hypertension (high pressure)
- preventing vision loss
Cosopt should not be given to anyone under the age of 2.
How Does Cosopt Work?
Cosopt is a combination of dorzolamide and timolol. These medicines work together to reduce the production of eye fluid (aqueous humour) while simultaneously decreasing pressure inside the eye which, if left untreated, may cause pain or vision loss.
How to Use Cosopt
Take Cosopt only as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use more Cosopt than instructed. To use Cosopt:
- wash hands with soap and water
- if you wear contacts, remove them before using Cosopt
- examine the eye dropper to be sure it is not broken and does not contain any foreign objects
- tilt your head back while pulling the lower lid down and away from your eye using your index finger
- hold the dropper near your eye (do no touch the eye with the dropper), look up and squeeze the dropper until one drop falls into your eye
- gently press on the tear duct using a finger
- do not take more than one drop in 5 minutes
- replace cap and wash hands after use
Contacts may be replaced 15 minutes after the treatment.
If you have been prescribed another topical eye medication, use Cosopt no less than 10 minutes before or after the other eye treatment.
