The name of your medicine is APO-Dorzolamide/Timolol eye drops. It contains the active
ingredients dorzolamide (22.3 mg of dorzolamide hydrochloride) and timolol (6.8 mg
of timolol maleate).
It is used to treat 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. Also, some people with raised eye
pressure may not have glaucoma.
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. The only way of knowing that you have glaucoma
is to have your eye pressure, optic nerve and visual field checked by an eye specialist
or optometrist. If glaucoma is not treated it can lead to serious problems. You may
have no symptoms but eventually glaucoma can lead to total blindness. In fact, untreated
glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness.
Although dorzolamide/timolol helps control your glaucoma it does not cure it.
For more information about glaucoma, contact Glaucoma Australia Inc., PO Box 420,
Crows Nest 1585, telephone 02 9906 6640.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you. Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
How it works
Dorzolamide/timolol contains two active ingredients, dorzolamide (as hydrochloride)
and timolol (as maleate). Both of these active ingredients lower pressure in the eye
by reducing the production of fluid, but they do this in different ways.
Dorzolamide (as hydrochloride) belongs to a family of medicines called carbonic anhydrase
inhibitors.
Timolol (as maleate) belongs to a family of medicines called beta-blockers.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
Use in children
This medicine should not be used in children.
The safety and effectiveness of dorzolamide in children have not been established.
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