Cosopt eye drops

Cosopt contains two medicines – dorzolamide hydrochloride and timolol maleate. Cosopt is used in conditions such as pseudo-exfoliative glaucoma or open-angle glaucoma where there is increased pressure inside the eye. It reduces the pressure inside the eye by increasing the drainage of fluid from the eye into the blood stream.

Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should use. It also tells you how often you should use your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should use. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Some medicines work best if they are taken at a specific time of day. Getting the most from your medicine can also be affected by the times at which you take other medicines.

Some medicines have specific instructions about how to take them. This is because they work better when taken correctly. These instructions can include getting the right dose and special instructions for preparing the medicine.

In the case of Cosopt:

If you are having problems taking this form of Cosopt, you should talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. They may be able to give you advice on other ways to take your medicine or other preparations that are easier for you to take.

Taking extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems. If you take extra doses of your medicine, you must get medical advice immediately. You may need a test to assess the effect of taking extra doses. This is because the effects of taking too much medicine are very complex so it is very important that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

If you are not having any problems taking this medicine then do not stop using it, even if you feel better, unless advised to do so by your prescriber. If, however, you find that this medicine is causing you problems then you should talk to your prescriber about your concerns.

If your medical team decides that it is best that you do not take this medicine any more, they may advise that you do not stop Cosopt abruptly. This is because, in some instances, stopping Cosopt abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms or cause your original condition to return. In these instances, reducing the dose of Cosopt gradually over time may reduce the chances of having these problems.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

The instructions on how you should keep your medicine are on the pharmacy label. It is a good idea to keep your medicine in the original container. This will help to keep your medicine in the best condition and also allow you to check the instructions. Do not take the medicine if the packaging appears to have been tampered with or if the medicine shows any signs of damage. Make sure that the medicine is out of the sight and reach of children.

In the case of Cosopt:

You must not take the medicine after the expiry date shown on the packaging. If you have any unused medicine, return it to your pharmacist who will dispose of it safely.

Cosopt is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child under two years of age.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Cosopt can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Cosopt has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who use Cosopt

• eye or eyesight problems - you should seek medical advice if you get a burning and stinging sensation, blurred vision, double vision, increased tear production, itching, irritation, redness, pain or dryness in the eye, or any irritation, inflammation or crusting of the eyelid
• taste changes

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who use Cosopt

• sinusitis

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who use Cosopt

• kidney stones

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who use Cosopt

• breathing problems
• rhinitis
• shortness of breath
• skin problems such as dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis - seek immediate medical advice if you get allergic or hypersensitivity reactions such as angioedema, urticaria, itching, skin rash, anaphylaxis or bronchospasm

These side-effects have been reported when people have used Timolol maleate which is one of the ingredients in Cosopt. The frequency of these side-effects is rare

• diarrhoea
• difficulty in walking
• lupus or lupus-like problem
• memory problems
• worsening of myasthenia gravis or myasthenia gravis like conditions

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown

• breathing difficulties
• chest pain
• coldness of the extremities
• cough
• decreased libido
• depression
• difficulty sleeping
• dry mouth
• fainting or brief loss of consciousness
• feeling dizzy
• hair loss
• headaches
• heart attack
• heart or circulation problems - some of these problems may worsen and may be fatal
• hiding symptoms of decreased blood sugar levels
• hiding symptoms of hyperthyroidism
• indigestion
• lowered blood pressure
• nausea
• nightmares
• nose bleed
• oedema
• palpitations
• paraesthesiae
• Peyronie's disease
• psoriasis or worsening of psoriasis
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• reduced responsiveness to Cosopt - this may occur if Cosopt is taken for a long period of time
• slower heart rate
• stroke
• tinnitus
• weakness or tiredness

This side-effect has been reported when people have used Dorzolamide hydrochloride which is one of the ingredients in Cosopt. The frequency of this side-effect is rare

• throat irritation

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Cosopt:

The following types of medicine may interact with Cosopt:

If you are taking Cosopt and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.

If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Cosopt.

Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.

If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

In the case of Cosopt:

You should see how this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Cosopt:

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Cosopt:

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Cosopt:

You should discuss your personal circumstances with your doctor if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant. This is so that together you can make a decision about what treatment you may need during your pregnancy.

You should discuss whether there are any other medicines which you could take during pregnancy which would treat your condition.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Cosopt:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. If you wish to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. They are also added to improve the medicine's appearance and to make it easier to use. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

Cosopt contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Cosopt before, do not use Cosopt. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.