General Information on Ocupress
Ocupress is used for treating open-angle glaucoma or other disease in the eye such as ocular hypertension. Its generic name is Carteolol Ophthalmic, and it belongs to the class of drugs known as beta blockers.
The medicine is available in the form of an ophthalmic solution. It works by decreasing the amount of ocular fluid inside the eye. By reducing this pressure, the medicine helps in preventing blindness associated with glaucoma or high eye pressure.
Side effects of Ocupress
Your doctor will not recommend you to buy Ocupress if you have allergy to it or to any other beta blockers such as timolol. The medicine may also contain preservatives which may trigger allergic reaction in some patients.
Before you start using this medicine, inform your doctor if you have a history of any of the following medical conditions:
- Lung disease or any breathing problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma
- slow or irregular heartbeat such as AV block or bradycardia
- heart disease such as heart attack, chest pain or heart failure
- diabetes
- overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism
- blood circulation problem such as peripheral vascular disease or Raynaud’s disease
- mental or mood disorder such as depression
- low flow of blood to the brain, as in stroke or cerebral insufficiency
- nerve or muscle problem such as myasthenia gravis
If you are a diabetic patient, this medicine may mask fast or pounding heartbeat, which is a sign of low sugar level. You should look out for other symptoms of low sugar level, such as sweating and dizziness.
As this drug may make you dizzy, you should avoid performing any such task that needs complete alertness. Such activities may include operating a machine or driving a vehicle.
Eye burning, stinging, redness or itching may commonly occur as a side effect of Ocupress. You should notify your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms worsen or persist. Serious side effects of the drug include:
- eye pain, discharge or swelling
- increased sensitivity to light
- swelling on ankles or feet
- unusual tiredness
- mental or mood changes such as depression
- slow or irregular heartbeat
- unexplained and sudden weight gain
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- pain in left arm, jaw or chest
- shortness of breath
- unusual sweating
- fainting
- slurred speech
- confusion
- sudden vision chnages
- weakness on one side of body
- seizures
Dosage of Ocupress
The amount, frequency and duration of treatment depends on the severity of your medical condition.
Contact lens wearers should remove them before applying Ocupress eye drops. It may contain preservatives that may harm the surface of your lenses. Do not re-insert them for at least 15 minutes after applying the medicine.
Drug Interactions of Ocupress
Do not buy Ocupress if you are already using alpha blockers (e.g. prazosin), drugs for hypertension (e.g. reserpine or methyldopa), oral beta blockers (e.g. metoprolol or atenolol) or drugs such as epinephrine, digoxin or clonidine.
