Visine eye drops

Visine eye drops Visine eye drops is used for:

Relieving redness due to minor eye irritation.

Visine eye drops is a decongestant. It works by constricting swollen blood vessels in the eye, which reduces redness. Irritants cause blood vessels to swell.

Do NOT use Visine eye drops if:

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

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Before using Visine eye drops:

Some medical conditions may interact with Visine eye drops. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, an overactive thyroid, or high blood pressure

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Visine eye drops. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Furazolidone and MAO inhibitors (eg, phenelzine) because side effects, such as headache, high blood pressure, and elevated body temperature, may occur
• Tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline) because they may decrease Visine eye drops's effectiveness
• Bromocriptine or catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors (eg, tolcapone, St. John's wort) because their actions and side effects may be increased by Visine eye drops

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Visine eye drops may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Visine eye drops:

Use Visine eye drops as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Visine eye drops is for use in the eye only. Avoid contact with mucous membranes.
• If you wear contact lenses, remove them before using Visine eye drops.
• To use Visine eye drops, wash your hands. Tilt your head back. Using your index finger, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to form a pouch. Drop the medicine into the pouch and gently close your eyes. Immediately use your finger to apply pressure to the inside corner of the eye and continue to apply pressure for 1 to 2 minutes after using the medicine. Do not blink.
• Remove excess medicine around your eye with a clean tissue, being careful not to touch your eye.
• Wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them. To prevent germs from contaminating your medicine, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface, including your eye.
• Keep the container tightly closed.
• Do not use Visine eye drops if solution changes color or becomes cloudy.
• If you miss a dose of Visine eye drops and you are using it regularly, use it as soon as possible. If it is much more than 1 hour since your missed dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not use 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Visine eye drops.

Important safety information:

• Visine eye drops may cause blurred vision. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous unless you can see clearly.
• Do not use Visine eye drops for longer than 3 days without checking with your doctor.
• If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
• Using too much of Visine eye drops may increase redness of the eye.
• Visine eye drops is not recommended for use in CHILDREN younger than 6 years of age. Safety and effectiveness in this age group have not been confirmed.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using Visine eye drops during pregnancy. It is unknown if Visine eye drops is excreted in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you are using Visine eye drops, check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby.

Possible side effects of Visine eye drops:

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Blurring, tearing, or stinging of the eye, dilation of pupils.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash, hives, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue), change in vision, continued redness or irritation of the eye, eye pain, headache.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA .

If OVERDOSE is suspected:

Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center. or emergency room immediately. Visine eye drops may be harmful if swallowed, especially in children.

Proper storage of Visine eye drops:

Store Visine eye drops at room temperature, between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Visine eye drops out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information:

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take Visine eye drops or any other medicine. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for you. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about Visine eye drops. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to Visine eye drops. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You must talk with your healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using Visine eye drops.

Issue Date: December 3, 2014

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