Timpodrops

Indications

Timolol eye drops lower raised pressure inside the eye. They are used for open-angle glaucoma (an eye disease where high pressure slowly damages the nerve of the eye and can cause loss of sight) and ocular hypertension (eye pressure that is higher than normal but has not yet caused damage). Timolol is also found in combination eye drops with Latanoprost, Travoprost, Brimonidine or Brinzolamide.

How It Works

Timolol is a beta blocker. In the eye it reduces the amount of clear fluid (aqueous humour) that the eye makes, which lowers the pressure inside the eye.

Dosage and Administration

Adults: usually 1 drop of the 0.25% or 0.5% solution in the affected eye or eyes twice a day, or as prescribed by the eye specialist. Children: only as prescribed.

• Wash your hands, tilt your head back, gently pull down the lower eyelid and put in 1 drop.
• Close the eye and press gently on the inner corner of the eye for 1 to 2 minutes. This keeps more medicine in the eye and less in the rest of the body.
• If you use other eye drops, wait at least 5 minutes between them.
• Remove soft contact lenses before use and wait 15 minutes before putting them back.
• Do not let the dropper tip touch the eye or anything else.

Interactions

Some of the medicine is absorbed into the body. Tell your doctor if you take beta blocker tablets (such as Propranolol or Atenolol), Verapamil, Diltiazem, Digoxin, Clonidine, Quinidine, Fluoxetine or Paroxetine, as the heart rate or blood pressure may drop too much. Timolol can hide the warning signs of low blood sugar in people taking Insulin or diabetes tablets.

Contraindications

• Asthma, or a history of asthma, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Very slow heartbeat, heart block, uncontrolled heart failure or cardiogenic shock
• Allergy to timolol or any ingredient of the drops

Side Effects

Common: stinging or burning when the drops go in, short-lived blurred vision, dry, itchy or red eyes. Less common: slow heartbeat, tiredness, dizziness, low blood pressure, cold hands and feet, low mood and trouble sleeping.

Get urgent medical help if you have wheezing or difficulty breathing, a very slow or irregular heartbeat, fainting, chest pain, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or severe eye pain or a sudden change in vision.

Pregnancy and Lactation

Use in pregnancy only if the doctor decides it is needed. If used close to delivery, the newborn baby may have a slow heartbeat or low blood sugar, so tell the doctor. Timolol passes into breast milk; ask your doctor before using it while breastfeeding. Pressing the inner corner of the eye after each drop reduces the amount that reaches the baby.

Precautions and Warnings

• Tell your doctor if you have diabetes, an overactive thyroid, heart disease, poor circulation, myasthenia gravis or any lung disease.
• Tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you use timolol before any operation.
• Do not stop using the drops without asking your eye doctor. Glaucoma usually has no symptoms, so regular eye pressure checks are important.
• Do not drive until any blurred vision has cleared.

Overdose

If too many drops go into the eye, rinse it with clean water. If the drops are swallowed or used far too often, there may be dizziness, a slow heartbeat, low blood pressure, wheezing or headache. Seek medical help straight away.

Therapeutic Class

Beta blocker eye preparation (anti-glaucoma medicine).

Storage

Store below 30°C, away from light and out of the reach of children. Do not freeze. Keep the bottle tightly closed and throw it away 4 weeks after first opening, or as stated on the pack.