Glaucoma Medicine Side Effects

Glaucoma is an eye disease that has no symptoms, but it can cause permanent blindness. If you have glaucoma, your doctor has probably prescribed medicated eye drops to help keep your vision healthy. The side effects from glaucoma medicine are usually mild, but sensitivity varies from person to person.

Types

• There are two kinds of glaucoma medicine side effects: ocular side effects and systemic side effects. Ocular means "eye," so these are side effects, such as burning, that affect the eye itself. Systemic side effects affect the rest of the body through the blood stream; these are side effects such as tiredness, headaches and dry mouth.

Features

• Side effects most often reported with glaucoma medicine are burning or itching of the eye, blurred vision, tiredness and, in some cases, low blood pressure or allergic reaction. There is one type of glaucoma medicine, prostaglandin analogs, that can darken the iris (eye color) and skin around the eye.

Time Frame

• The antibacterial ingredients in eye drops may cause stinging or burning immediately, and may cause temporary blurriness as soon as they're applied. However, the systemic side effects such as lowered blood pressure or headache will occur over time, after the medication gets into the blood stream.

Prevention/Solution

• The fastest way for medicated eye drops to enter the blood stream is through the tear duct. To lower the chances of systemic side effects, try this technique from the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Apply your drop(s) and close the eye, pressing gently on the corner closest to your nose (where your tear duct is). Keep the gentle pressure on the inside of your closed eye for two minutes. This will help prevent the medication from rushing through the tear duct and into the blood stream.

Warning

• Glaucoma medications can interfere with other medications. If you experience unusual or uncomfortable side effects, meet with your doctor to discuss any possible drug interactions. Also, there are several types of glaucoma medication available. If one type causes too many side effects, your doctor can always try another one.