What  is brimonidine ophthalmic? 

Brimonidine reduces the amount of fluid in the eye, which decreases pressure inside the eye. 

Brimonidine ophthalmic  is used to treat open-angle  glaucoma or ocular hypertension  (high pressure inside the eye). 

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

What  is the most important information I should know about brimonidine ophthalmic? 

Do  not use brimonidine ophthalmic if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. 

Before using brimonidine ophthalmic, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease, heart disease,  high blood pressure, circulation problems such as Raynaud's or Buerger's disease, or  a history of fainting or low blood pressure. 

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

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.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using brimonidine ophthalmic? 

You  should not use  this medication if you are allergic to brimonidine. 

Do not use brimonidine ophthalmic if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, 
Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. 

Before using brimonidine ophthalmic, tell your doctor if you have: 

• kidney disease; 
• liver disease; 
• heart disease or high blood pressure; 
• circulation problems, such  as Raynaud's syndrome or Buerger's disease; or 
• a history of fainting or low blood pressure. 

If you have any of these conditions, you may need  a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use  brimonidine ophthalmic.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell  your doctor if you are pregnant  or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is  not known whether brimonidine ophthalmic 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. 

How should I use brimonidine ophthalmic? 

Use this medication exactly as prescribed by  your doctor. Do  not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. 

Wash your hands before using the  eye drops.  Do not use this medication while you are wearing contact lenses. This medication may contain a preservative that can be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after  using brimonidine before putting  your contact lenses in. 

To apply the eye drops: 

• Tilt your head back slightly  and pull down your lower eyelid to create  a small pocket. 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 any other eye medications, wait about 5 minutes after using brimonidine eye drops before using the other medication. 
• 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. 

Store  the drops at room temperature away  from heat and moisture. Keep  the bottle tightly closed when not in use. 

What happens if I miss a dose? 

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

What happens if I overdose? 

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine,  or if anyone has accidentally swallowed it. An overdose of brimonidine ophthalmic is unlikely to cause life-threatening side effects. 

What should I avoid while using brimonidine ophthalmic? 

Brimonidine can cause side effects that may impair  your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake  and alert. Avoid using any eye medications your doctor has not prescribed. Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, sedatives, and medicine for seizures can add  to sleepiness caused by brimonidine ophthalmic. Tell  your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines. 

Brimonidine ophthalmic side effects 

Stop using brimonidine and get emergency medical help if you have any  of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of  your face, lips, tongue,  or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects: 

• slow or uneven heart rate; 
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest; 
• shallow breathing, feeling like you might pass out; 
• severe swelling, redness, or discomfort in or around your eye; 
• eye pain or increased watering; or
• Numbness or tingly feeling in your hands or feet. 

Less serious side effects may include: 

• burning, stinging, or itching  of your eyes; 
• feeling like something is in your eye; 
• blurred vision; 
• redness  of the eye or eyelid; 
• mildly swollen or puffy eyes; 
• sensitivity to light; 
• nausea, upset stomach; 
• headache, dizziness; 
• muscle pain; 
• tired feeling; 
• sleep problems (insomnia); 
• dry nose  or mouth; or 
• Unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth. 

This is not  a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell  your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. 

What other drugs will affect brimonidine ophthalmic? 

Before using brimonidine ophthalmic, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following medications: 

• blood pressure medications; 
• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin); 
• a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), betaxolol (Betoptic, Kerlone), bisoprolol (Zebeta), carteolol (Cartrol, Ocupress), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Betimol, Blocadren, Cosopt, Timoptic, Istalol), and others; or 
• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and others. 

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

Where can I get more information? 

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about brimonidine ophthalmic. 
• Remember, keep  this and all other medicines  out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others,  and use this medication only for the indication prescribed. 
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date,  and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers  in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant  that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information  is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug  or drug combination in  no way should be construed  to indicate that  the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect  of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The  information contained herein is not intended to cover  all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If  you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with  your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.