Levobunolol Ophthalmic

Levobunolol ophthalmic can cause blurred vision. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be able to see clearly.

Levobunolol ophthalmic is sometimes given together with other eye medications. Do not use any other eye medication unless your doctor has prescribed it for you. If you use another eye medication, use it at least 10 minutes before or after using levobunolol ophthalmic. Do not use the medications at the same time.

Before using levobunolol ophthalmic, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);
• reserpine;
• insulin or diabetes medications you take by mouth;
• any other beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), timolol (Blocadren), and others;
• a calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Tiazac, Cartia, Cardizem), felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia, Adalat), verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); or
• medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), mesoridazine (Serentil), or thioridazine (Mellaril).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with levobunolol ophthalmic. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Use levobunolol ophthalmic exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.

Wash your hands before using the eye drops.

Do not use this medication while you are wearing contact lenses. Levobunolol ophthalmic may contain a preservative that can be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using levobunolol before putting your contact lenses in.

To apply the eye drops:

• Tilt your head back slightly and pull down your lower eyelid. Hold the dropper above the eye with the dropper tip down. Look up and away from the dropper as you squeeze out a drop, then close your eye.
• Gently press your finger to the inside corner of the eye (near your nose) for about 1 minute to keep the liquid from draining into your tear duct. If you use more than one drop in the same eye, wait about 5 minutes before putting in the next drop.
• Do not allow the dropper tip to touch any surface, including the eyes or hands. If the dropper becomes contaminated it could cause an infection in your eye, which can lead to vision loss or serious damage to the eye.

Do not use the eye drops if the liquid has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your doctor for a new prescription.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any eye injury or infection. If you have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using levobunolol ophthalmic. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include slow heart rate, feeling short of breath, swelling, rapid weight gain, or fainting.

Use the medication as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and use the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

In the U.S.

• Betagan

In Canada

• Ratio-Levobunolol

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antiglaucoma

Pharmacologic Class: Beta-Adrenergic Blocker, Nonselective

Levobunolol is used alone or together with other medicines to treat increased pressure in the eye that is caused by open-angle glaucoma or a condition called ocular (eye) hypertension. levobunolol is a beta-blocker .

levobunolol is available only with your doctor's prescription .

Shake the medicine well just before each use .

To use the eye drops (solution):

• First, wash your hands. Tilt the head back and, pressing your finger gently on the skin just beneath the lower eyelid, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to make a space. Drop the medicine into this space. Let go of the eyelid and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed and apply pressure to the inner corner of the eye with your finger for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to be absorbed by the eye.
• Immediately after using the medicine, wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them.
• To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). Also, keep the container tightly closed. Serious damage to the eye and possible loss of vision may result from using contaminated eye medicines .

If your doctor ordered two different eye medicines to be used together, wait several minutes before using the second medicine. This will help prevent the second medicine from “washing out” the first one .

Dosing

The dose of levobunolol will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of levobunolol. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For ophthalmic solution dosage form (eye drops):
  • For glaucoma or ocular hypertension:
    • Adults—One to two drops in the affected eye(s) once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose to 1 to 2 drops two times a day, if needed.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor .

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of levobunolol, apply it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Levobunolol is a beta-blocker that reduces pressure inside the eye.

Levobunolol ophthalmic (for the eyes) is used to treat open-angle glaucoma and other causes of high pressure inside the eye.

Levobunolol ophthalmic may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to levobunolol, or if you have:

• asthma, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);

• slow heartbeats; or

• a heart condition called "AV block."

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication:

• breathing problems such as bronchitis or emphysema;

• a history of heart disease or congestive heart failure;

• diabetes;

• history of stroke, blood clot, or circulation problems;

• a thyroid disorder; or

• a muscle disorder such as myasthenia gravis.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether levobunolol ophthalmic is harmful to an unborn baby. Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether levobunolol passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Use levobunolol ophthalmic exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.

Wash your hands before using the eye drops.

Do not use this medication while you are wearing contact lenses. Levobunolol ophthalmic may contain a preservative that can be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using levobunolol before putting your contact lenses in.

To apply the eye drops:

• Tilt your head back slightly and pull down your lower eyelid. Hold the dropper above the eye with the dropper tip down. Look up and away from the dropper as you squeeze out a drop, then close your eye.

• Gently press your finger to the inside corner of the eye (near your nose) for about 1 minute to keep the liquid from draining into your tear duct. If you use more than one drop in the same eye, wait about 5 minutes before putting in the next drop.

• Do not allow the dropper tip to touch any surface, including the eyes or hands. If the dropper becomes contaminated it could cause an infection in your eye, which can lead to vision loss or serious damage to the eye.

Do not use the eye drops if the liquid has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your doctor for a new prescription.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any eye injury or infection. If you have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using levobunolol ophthalmic. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

This medicine may be harmful if swallowed. If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. If this product is accidentally swallowed, you may experience symptoms such as trouble breathing, slow/irregular heartbeat.

Notes

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., eye exams) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.Information last revised July 2016. Copyright(c) 2016 First Databank, Inc.