latanoprost
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about this medicine. It does not contain
all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor
or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking
this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What this medicine is used for
APO-LATANOPROST is used to lower raised pressure in the eye and to treat glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a condition in which the pressure of fluid in the eye may be high. However,
some people with glaucoma may have normal eye pressure.
Glaucoma is usually caused by a build-up of the fluid which flows through the eye.
This build up occurs because the fluid drains out of your eye more slowly than it
is being pumped in. Since new fluid continues to enter the eye, joining the fluid
already there, the pressure continues to rise. This raised pressure may damage the
back of the eye resulting in gradual loss of sight. Damage can progress so slowly
that the person is not aware of this gradual loss of sight. Sometimes even normal
eye pressure is associated with damage to the back of the eye.
There are usually no symptoms of glaucoma. If glaucoma is not treated it can lead
to serious problems, including total blindness. In fact, untreated glaucoma is one
of the most common causes of blindness.
How APO-LATANOPROST works
APO-LATANOPROST belongs to a family of medicines called prostaglandin agonists.
It lowers the pressure in the eye by allowing more fluid to flow out from within your
eye.
Although APO-LATANOPROST helps control your glaucoma it does not cure it. So, you
must keep using it until your doctor tells you to stop.
APO-LATANOPROST is used, either alone or in combination with other eye medicines,
to lower raised pressure within your eye.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why APO-LATANOPROST has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
APO-LATANOPROST is not addictive.
Use in Children
APO-LATANOPROST is not recommended for use in children. The safety and effectiveness
of APO-LATANOPROST in children have not been established.
Before you use APO-LATANOPROST
When you must not use it
Do not take this medicine if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing latanoprost
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the bottle
or packaging shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start using APO-LATANOPROST, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives
or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions such as severe asthma,
or any other types of glaucoma or eye conditions.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start
taking this medicine.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food
shop.
Some medicines and APO-LATANOPROST may interfere with each other. These include:
eye drops which contain an ingredient called thiomersal. If using such eye drops as
well as APO-LATANOPROST, you should wait at least 5 minutes between using these eye
drops and APO-LATANOPROST
some other eye drops that contain a prostaglandin. The use of two or more prostaglandin
eye drops at the same time is not recommended.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or
avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take this medicine
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the directions, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
If you are being changed from one eye drop to another, follow your doctor's instructions
carefully as to when to stop the old drops and when to start the new drops.
How much to use
The usual dose of APO-LATANOPROST is one drop into the affected eye, or eyes, once
daily.
Use APO-LATANOPROST every day, at about the same time each day, preferably in the
evening, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Using your eye drops at the same time each day will have the best effect on your eye
pressure. It will also help you remember when to use the eye drops.
How to use it
If you are wearing soft contact lenses, remove them before putting the drops in your
eye.
The preservative in APO-LATANOPROST (benzalkonium chloride) may be deposited in soft
contact lenses. You can put your soft contact lenses back into your eyes 15 minutes
after you have used APO-LATANOPROST.
If using other eye drops in addition to APO-LATANOPROST, wait at least 5 minutes before
putting any other drops in your eye(s).
Be careful not to touch the dropper tip against your eye, eyelid or anything else.
Touching the dropper tip against something may contaminate the eye drops and give
you an eye infection.
You may find it easier to put drops in your eye while you are sitting or lying down.
1. Wash your hands well with soap and water.
2. Twist off the protective overcap from the bottle.
3. Unscrew the inner cap.
4. Use your finger to gently pull down the lower eyelid of your affected eye.
5. Tilt your head back and look up.
6. Place the tip of the bottle close to but not touching your eye. Squeeze the bottle
gently so that only one drop goes into your eye, then release the lower eyelid.
Close your eye. Do not blink or rub your eye.
7. While your eye is closed, place your index finger against the inside corner of your
eye and press against your nose for about two minutes. This will help to stop the
medicine from draining through the tear duct to the nose and throat, from where it
can be absorbed into other parts of your body. Ask your doctor for more specific instructions
on this technique.
8. Screw the inner cap back on the bottle.
9. Wash your hands again with soap and water to remove any residue.
You may feel a slight burning sensation in the eye shortly after using the eye drops.
If this persists, or is very uncomfortable, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
How long to use it
Continue using APO-LATANOPROST every day for as long as your doctor prescribes.
APO-LATANOPROST helps control your condition but does not cure it.
If you forget to use it
If you miss a dose, skip the dose you missed and use your next dose when you are meant
to.
If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not use double the amount to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you use too much (overdose)
If you accidentally put several drops in your eye, immediately rinse your eye with
warm water.
If you think that you or anyone else may have swallowed APO-LATANOPROST, immediately
telephone your doctor or the Australian Poisons Information Centre (telephone 131
126) for advice or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital. Do this
even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are using this medicine
Things you must do
To make sure APO-LATANOPROST is working properly, have your eye pressure checked regularly.
Have your eyes checked regularly for any other changes, including a change in eye
colour.
A slow change in eye colour, which may be permanent, has been reported to occur in
some patients who use APO-LATANOPROST. Your doctor will decide whether you should
continue using APO-LATANOPROST.
If you develop an eye infection, receive an eye injury, or have eye surgery tell your
doctor.
Your doctor may tell you to use a new container of APO-LATANOPROST because of possible
contamination of the old one or may advise you to stop your treatment with APO-LATANOPROST.
If you become pregnant while using APO-LATANOPROST, tell your doctor immediately.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine tell your doctor and pharmacist
that you are using APO-LATANOPROST.
Tell all doctors and pharmacists who are treating you that you are using APO-LATANOPROST.
Things you must not do
Do not give APO-LATANOPROST to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as
you.
Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you
to.
Do not stop using APO-LATANOPROST without first talking to your doctor.
If you stop using your eye drops, your eye pressures may rise again and damage to
your eye may occur.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how APO-LATANOPROST affects
you.
APO-LATANOPROST generally does not cause any problems with your ability to drive a
car or operate machinery. However, it may cause blurred vision in some people. Make
sure you know how you react to APO-LATANOPROST or that your vision is clear before
driving a car or operating machinery.
Side effects
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while using APO-LATANOPROST,
even if you do not think the problems relate to the medicine or are not listed in
this leaflet.
Like other medicines, APO-LATANOPROST can cause some side effects. If they occur,
most are likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical
attention.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any
of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
a slow change in eye colour over a period of time.
The iris may become browner in colour and appear darker. This change may be permanent
and more noticeable if you are only being treated in one eye.
blurred vision, double vision or other visual problems
irritation or feeling of having something in the eye.
This may be worse during the first two or three days of using APO-LATANOPROST.
eye pain
redness, burning or watering of the eye(s)
discharge, itching of the eye(s), crusty eyelashes
darkening, thickening, lengthening or an increase in the number of eye lashes and
the fine hair on the eyelids
misdirected eyelashes sometimes causing eye irritation
darkening of the skin of the eyelids
crusting, redness, thickening, itching or burning of the eyelids
sensitivity to light
skin rash
headache
muscle/joint pain
painful, urgent or frequent urination.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and
Emergency at your nearest hospital:
chest pain
you notice strong, rapid or irregular heartbeats
dizziness
white deposits or plaque in the cornea causing the transparent front part of your
eye to look white or cloudy
symptoms of an allergic reaction including cough, shortness of breath, wheezing or
difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of
the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention
or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Storage and Disposal
Storage
Before opening APO-LATANOPROST, keep the bottle in its box in a refrigerator (2°C
- 8°C) protected from light.
After opening APO-LATANOPROST, keep the bottle in its box in a cool place where the
temperature stays below 25°C. You do not need to keep it refrigerated. Keep the box
properly closed and protected from light.
Do not store this medicine or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do
not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place
to store medicines.
Put the top back on the bottle right away after use to avoid contaminating the eye
drops.
Disposal
Write the date on the bottle when you open the eye drops and throw out any remaining
solution after four weeks.
Open a new bottle every 4 weeks.
Eye drops contain a preservative which helps prevent germs growing in the solution
for the first four weeks after opening the bottle. After this time there is a greater
risk that the drops may become contaminated and cause an eye infection.
If your doctor tells you to stop using the eye drops or they have passed their expiry
date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any remaining solution.
Product description
What it looks like
APO-LATANOPROST eye drops come in a plastic bottle with a dropper and screw cap inside
a protective overcap. Remove this overcap before use.
When you first receive your APO-LATANOPROST bottle, it will appear half full. This
corresponds to 2.5 mL of eye drop solution, giving a minimum of 80 drops. This volume
is enough to last 4 weeks if used in both eyes. AUST R 291496.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in APO-LATANOPROST eye drops is latanoprost. Each 1 mL of APO-LATANOPROST
contains 50 micrograms of latanoprost. Each drop contains about 1.5 micrograms of
latanoprost.
This medicine also contains the following:
sodium chloride
sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate
sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous
water for injections
benzalkonium chloride (as a preservative).
Sponsor
Apotex Pty Ltd
16 Giffnock Avenue
Macquarie Park NSW 2113
Tel: (02) 8877 8333
Web: www1.apotex.com/au
This leaflet was prepared in September 2018.