Bimatoprost 0.01% Eye drops solution What Bimatoprost is used for: Bimatoprost is used for patients with open-angle glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye that can lead to loss of vision) to reduce eye pressure and in patients with ocular hypertension (a condition that causes elevated pressure in the eye). Do not use Bimatoprost: If you are allergic to Bimatoprost or any of the ingredients in this medicine. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had. In children under 16 years of age. Warnings & Precautions: Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you develop allergic reactions such as shortness of breath, skin rash, swelling of the face or neck, decreased blood pressure and dizziness. This medication may cause changes in your eye color, eyelashes and their growth, length, thickness, color, direction and number. Change in your eye color may increase during your treatment. Color changes may not be noticed until months or years have passed. Once you stop using this medication, the color change of your eye is expected to be permanent, unlike the eyelashes and periorbital area (area around the eyes) that are expected to gain their original color. Medication can be continued even if you experience eye color changes, however, make sure to get your eyes examined by your doctor. Make sure to tell your doctor about other eye disorders that you have such as eye inflammation or eye edema. Make sure to remove contact lenses before the administration of the eye drop. You can wear your contact lenses again after at least 15 minutes of applying your eye drop. Avoid contact of the eye drop tip with your eye to prevent bacterial contamination. Seek your physician advice if you develop an eye infection, or eyelid reactions or if you have a planned surgery. If you are using more than one eye drop solution, make sure to administer each at least five minutes apart. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting this medicine if you wear contact lenses. This product contains a preservative known as benzalkonium chloride which can affect the color your soft contact lenses and may also cause eye irritation especially if you have cornea problems or eye dryness, therefore make sure that you remove your soft contact lens before you apply the eye drop and wait at least 15 minutes before you put your contact lens back. Talk to your doctor if you feel abnormal eye sensation (pain or stinging) in your eye after applying the eye drop. This medicine may worsen your eye inflammation if you already have it. Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you have eye inflammation. This medicine may cause macular edema (retina at the back of the eye becomes swollen) especially if you do not have a lens (surgically removed) or if you have had an artificial lens implanted in your eye. Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you have either of these eye lens problems. Talk to your doctor if you develop macular edema signs like blurry or wavy vision. Possible Side Effects: Most common side effect is redness and dilation of eye vessels. Common side effects include growth of eyelashes and eye itching. Other side effects include eye irritation, darkening in eyelid or eye color, eyelash darkening, eye discharge and tearing, light sensitivity, allergic conjunctivitis (eye allergy), eye inflammation, eye swelling, eye bleeding, abnormal hair growth, blurred vision, asthenopia (eye strain), redness around the eye, eye dryness, pigmentation of the skin around your eye, eyelids inflammation, cataract, superficial punctate keratitis (eye disorder caused by death of small groups of cells on the surface of the cornea), eye pain, burning and stinging, foreign body sensation, infections (like cold and upper respiratory tract infections), headaches and abnormal liver function tests. Other medicines and Bimatoprost: Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medications including eye drops. If you are using more than one eye drop solution, make sure to administer each at least five minutes apart to avoid precipitation of the eye drop. How to apply Bimatoprost: Adults Recommended dose is one drop in the affected eye once daily at night. Do not use more than once daily because the effectiveness of the treatment may be decreased. Children (under 16 years of age) Use of this medicine is not recommended in children under 16 years of age due to the risk of increased pigmentation due to long term use. How To Use: Wash your hands. Uncap the bottle. Tilt your head slightly backward and pull down your lower eyelid making a pocket. Keep the bottle above your eye with the tip facing down. Look upward and away from the bottle then press on the container to release a drop. Let go of the lower eyelid and close your eyes for 30 seconds. If an eye drop is missed, repeat the steps. Wipe off any excess drops from your cheeks. Space your eye drops by at least 5 minutes. Use at the same time every day. Do not stop using your medication without consulting your doctor. Do not use the eye drop if the tamper-proof seal on the bottle neck is broken when you are using it for the first time. Your eye drops should start decreasing your eye pressure after 4 hours with optimal effect after 8 to 12 hours. How to store Bimatoprost: Discard the bottle 4 weeks after its opening even if it is not empty. Keep out of the reach of children and pets. Store at 2° to 25°C. Do not use beyond the expiry date mentioned on the box. Keep away from light. Do not dispose in the wastewater or household waste. A valid prescription should be available upon delivery