Brimonidine

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used to lower intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma or high pressure in the eye.

How does it work?

• Brimonidine decreases intraocular pressure in patients with elevated or normal pressures. The patient may not have glaucoma. Some surgical procedures may increase the pressure in the eye. This medicine brings the pressure down.

How is it best taken?

• For the eye only.
• Shake well first.
• Take out soft contact lenses before using medicine. Lenses can be replaced 15 minutes after medicine is given.
• After using medicine keep your eyes closed. Apply pressure to the inside corner of the eye. Do this for 3-5 minutes. This keeps medicine in the eye.
• Separate each eye medicine by 5 minutes. Give one and wait 5 minutes before using the next.
• Do not touch the bottle tip to eye, lid, or other skin.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Instill a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.
• Do not instill a double dose or extra doses.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives, tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Do not use these medicines with monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These include isocarboxazid, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine. Separate use by 2 weeks.
• This medicine should be used for less than 1 month.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• Redness, itching, tearing, discomfort, and lid swelling.
• Dry mouth. Frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.
• Feeling tired or lightheaded. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.

What should I monitor?

• Check eye pressures regularly. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Check blood pressure and heart rate regularly if you have a history of high blood pressure or other heart disease.
• Follow up with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Low blood pressure or heart rate.
• Any rash.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).

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