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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
Are there any side effects of glaucoma eye drops?
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Glaucoma Australia is the peak glaucoma awareness/education/support association in Australia.It is a national, not-for-profit registered charity dedicated to providing educational services to raise awareness about … View Profile
There are potentially many side-effects from glaucoma drops. The likelihood of a particular side-effect will depend on the type of drop being used. A side-effect may be considered in terms of those effecting the eye or those effecting other parts of the body. Below is a summary:
Prostaglandin analogues: these include Xalatan, Travatan and Lumigan. They may cause redness, irritation, discomfort, burning, stinging or watering of the eyes. These symptoms may effect anywhere between 10-40% of people using them. Severity can range from very mild irritation to extreme discomfort. Mild cases usually resolve with continued use but severe cases will warrant stopping the offending medication and trying something else. They may also cause the eyelashes to grow and cause the iris to change to a darker colour (this is most likely in eyes that are green, hazel or light brown to start with). They may also cause increased pigmentation of the skin around the eyes. Effects on other parts of the body are rare but are seen occasionally. These may include flu-like symptoms and shortness of breath.
Beta-blockers: these include Timoptol, Nyogel, Betoptic and Tenopt. They should be used with caution in individuals with respiratory problems (such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) as they can induce shortness of breath. They may also cause slowing of the heart rate leading to faints or falls. Rarely, they may mask the warning signs patients with diabetes usually experience when their blood sugar drops to low and in some people they can cause sleepless nights or nightmares. The potential for a side-effect may be further exacerbated if the patient is already taking an oral beta-blocker as treatment for high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythm or other cardiac condition.
Alpha-agonists: these include Alphagan and Iopidine. The predominant side-effect is a reactive conjunctivitis causing redness, discomfort and watering of the eyes. Other effects may include dryness of the eyes, nose and mouth as well as fatigue and dizziness. They may also increase blood pressure.
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: the include Azopt and Trusopt. These may cause irritation, discomfort and watering of the eyes. Other uncommon effects may include shortness of breath and headaches.
Combination treatments: drops containing a combination of the above treatments are available and include a combined prostaglandin analogue and beta-blocker (Duotrav, Xalacom or Ganfort), a beta-blocker and alpha-agonist (Combigan) or a beta-blocker and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (Cosopt, Azarga). The potential side-effects are a combination of those seen individually for each active medication.
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