Careprost is an eye drop that’s usually used for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. This drug does its job by reducing patients' fluid pressure inside their eyes. If there’s pain in the eyes, Careprost also helps to reduce it.
Uses of Careprost
Medical practitioners prescribe Careprost to their patients for the following reasons:
- This drug is used to treat glaucoma in older individuals.
- Careprost is used to treat people with insufficient eyelashes by making their eyelashes grow longer and thicker.
- This drug is given to people experiencing high pressure and pain in their eyes.
Administration of Careprost
The Careprost medication comes with an information leaflet in its packet. Patients can refer to its instructions or consult their doctor whenever they want to use this drug.
The most popular method of using Careprost is once a night. Before applying this drug, patients are advised to wash their hands and remove any makeup they might be wearing. This is to prevent germs from contaminating this drug.
When using Careprost, apply the liquid medicine to the applicator in an area close to its tip. After that, draw the applicator across the upper eyelid margin, specifically at the base of the eyelashes. Patients are advised to go from the inner lash line to the outer part during application.
Any excess solution beyond the eyelid margin should be blotted out after application. This is because hair can grow in the areas where the Careprost solutions drop, so careful application prevents that.
Patients should also take note that each applicator can only be used for one eye. So, a fresh applicator should be used for the other eye after this. It’s also important to note that this medication is not to be used for lower eyelids, only the upper eyelid.
As is the case for most drugs, Careprost shouldn’t be discontinued without express doctor approval. For the best results, patients are also advised to use this drug regularly or at the same time each day. If patients are taking multiple drugs, they should apply Careprost 5 minutes before any other medicine.
Precautions
There are some medical conditions that patients should inform their doctor about before using Careprost, and they include:
- Liver disease problems
- Eyes with a missing lens
- Renal disease
- Eyes with a torn lens
- Sulfonamide allergies
- Inflammations in the eye
Blurred eyes sometimes accompany the administration of Careprost. So, patients are advised not to get into the driver's seat or operate machinery immediately after using this drug. However, they can decide to do so when their vision clears.
Before administering this drug to the eyes, patients who use contact lenses are advised to remove them. After using this medication, they should wait 15 minutes before putting their contact lenses back on.
People who mistakenly swallow Careprost may fall unconscious or experience difficulty breathing. So they should contact a doctor immediately after they swallow this drug.
Patients who are using Careprost to treat glaucoma should be careful to prevent extra solutions from entering their eyes. This can make the drug less effective for their condition. If there is only one affected eye, patients should only apply this medication to that eye.
Side Effects
While using Careprost will see to its intended effects occurring, there is a chance that some unwanted effects will also occur. Some of these effects are serious and would warrant immediate medical attention, while others may not. Below are some of the side effects that shouldn’t warrant medical attention, unless they get too worrisome.
- Body pain
- Sore throat
- Increase in hair growth
- Nasal congestion
- Headache
- Runny nose
- Unusual weakness
- Increase in the eye’s sensitivity to sunlight
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of voice
- Eye strain
- Sneezing
- Moving sensation in the eye
- Cough
- Darkening of the eyelashes
- Ear congestion
- Redness of the inside of the eyelids or the white parts of the eye
- Eye discharge
The side effects that warrant an immediate doctor visit are shown below:
- Bloody eye
- Double vision
- Halos when looking at lights
- Changes in the color of the skin around the eye
- Decreased vision
- Disturbed color perception
- Loss of strength
- Swelling of the eye
- Blindness
- Dry eyes
- Burning eyes
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Night blindness
- Change in the color of vision
- Changes in eye color
- Tunnel vision
- Fever
Overdosage
While a Careprost overdose doesn’t cause any direct harm, patients are advised to seek their doctor’s advice to be on the safe side.
Missed Dose
People who miss a dose of Careprost should quickly apply it. However, if it’s almost time for the next dose, they should just ignore the missed dose and apply the next one. Two doses of Careprost should never be applied at once.
Drug Interaction of Careprost
When taking this medication, some drugs may cause it to have unintended effects, so such drugs should be avoided. Some of the drugs that interact with Careprost include:
- Travoprost
- Eye supplements
- OTC medication
- Latanoprost
- Herbal products
- Eyelash growth medications
Storage
Careprost is best stored in areas with a temperature of 2 to 25 degrees Celsius. It shouldn’t be stored in a location where children or pets can reach it, either.
FAQs
- Can pregnant women use Careprost? Answer: Yes, Careprost can be used by a pregnant woman, but only under the direction of a doctor.
- Can breastfeeding mothers use Careprost? Answer: Yes, breastfeeding mothers can use Careprost, but only under the direction of their doctor.
- How long before patients start noticing the effects of Careprost? Answer: It can take up to two months before some patients start seeing the visible effects of using this drug.