What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about GENOPTIC® eye drops, (including how to use the eye drops). It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using GENOPTIC® eye drops against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about using/taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What GENOPTIC® eye drops are used for
GENOPTIC® eye drops are used for the treatment of infections of the eye caused by bacteria. These include conjunctivitis (an infection of the transparent skin that covers the inner surface of the eyelid and the surface of the eye which causes the eye to produce discharge, to be itchy and to form crusty eyelids); infection of the cornea (the front layer of the eyeball); corneal ulcers; infection of the edges of the eyelids including hair follicles and glands; infection of the oil producing gland that covers the inner surface of the eyelid and infection of the tear sac.
Mechanism of action:
The active ingredient in GENOPTIC® eye drops, gentamicin sulfate, belongs to a chemical group called the aminoglycosides which have an antibiotic activity against a wide range of bacteria.
Your doctor may have prescribed GENOPTIC® eye drops for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why GENOPTIC® eye drops have been prescribed for you.
Before you take GENOPTIC® eye drops
When you must not use it
Do not use GENOPTIC® eye drops if:
- you have an allergy to GENOPTIC® eye drops or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Check with your doctor if:
- you are pregnant or have the intention of becoming pregnant. Like some medicines, GENOPTIC® eye drops should not be used during pregnancy.
- you are breastfeeding or planning to start breastfeeding. It is not known whether your baby may absorb this medicine from breast milk and therefore there is a possibility of harm to the baby.
Do not use GENOPTIC® eye drops if:
- the seal around the cap is broken,
- the bottle/packaging shows signs of tampering,
- the expiry date on the bottle or carton has passed.
If you use this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work.
If you are not sure whether you should start using GENOPTIC® eye drops, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have had an allergy to any other medicines or any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.
If you have not told your doctor about this, tell them before you use GENOPTIC® eye drops.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
There are no known drug interactions with GENOPTIC® eye drops.
How to use GENOPTIC® eye drops
How much to use
The usual dosage of GENOPTIC® eye drops is one or two drops in the affected eye(s) every four hours. If you have a serious infection, your doctor may increase the dosage to a maximum of two drops once every hour.
Your doctor will tell you how many drops you need to use each day. Use GENOPTIC® eye drops only as prescribed by your doctor.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
Use GENOPTIC® eye drops every day, at about the same time each day, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Using your eye drops at the same time each day will have the best effect on your condition. It will also help you remember when to use the eye drops.
If you are being changed from one eye drop to another, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully as to when to stop the old drops and when to start the new drops.
How to use it
You may find it easier to put drops in your eye while you are sitting or lying down.
If you are wearing soft contact lenses, remove them before putting the drops in your eye.
To open a new bottle of GENOPTIC® eye drops, first tear off the protective seal from the bottle. The seal will break and you can pull it off and then throw it away.
- Wash your hands well with soap and water.
- Shake the bottle gently.
- Remove the cap.
- Hold the bottle upside down in one hand between your thumb and forefinger or index finger.
- Using your other hand, gently pull down your lower eyelid to form a pouch or pocket.
- Tilt your head back and look up.
- Put the tip of the bottle close to your lower eyelid. Do not let it touch your eye.
- Release one drop into the pouch or pocket formed between your eye and eyelid by gently squeezing the bottle.
- Close your eye. Do not blink or rub your eye.
- While your eye is closed, place your index finger against the inside corner of your eye and press against your nose for about two minutes. This will help to stop the medicine from draining through the tear duct to the nose and throat, from where it can be absorbed into other parts of your body. Ask your doctor for more specific instructions on this technique.
- Replace the cap, sealing it tightly.
- Wash your hands again with soap and water to remove any residue.
Wait 15 minutes before replacing your contact lenses.
Be careful not to touch the dropper tip against your eye, eyelid or anything else to avoid contaminating the eye drops.
Contaminated eye drops may give you an eye infection.
How long to use it
Continue using GENOPTIC® eye drops for as long as your doctor prescribes.
If you forget to use it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and use your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, use the drops as soon as you remember, and then go back to using/taking them as you would normally.
If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not use double the amount to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you use too much (overdose)
If you accidentally put several drops in your eye(s), immediately rinse your eye(s) with warm water.
If you think that you or anyone else may have swallowed any or all of the contents of a bottle of GENOPTIC® eye drops, immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to casualty at your nearest hospital. In New Zealand call the National Poisons Information Centre (telephone 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766).
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are using GENOPTIC® eye drops
Things you must do
Your doctor may tell you to use a new container of GENOPTIC® eye drops because of possible contamination of the old one, or may advise you to stop your treatment with GENOPTIC® eye drops.
If you become pregnant while using GENOPTIC® eye drops tell your doctor immediately.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are using GENOPTIC® eye drops.
Things you must not do
Do not give GENOPTIC® eye drops to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop using GENOPTIC® eye drops without first talking to your doctor.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how GENOPTIC® eye drops affect you.
GENOPTIC® eye drops generally do not cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, you should make sure you know how you react to GENOPTIC® eye drops or that your vision is clear before driving a car or operating machinery.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using GENOPTIC® eye drops. GENOPTIC® eye drops help most people with infections of the eye, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by these possible side effects. You may not experience any of them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- Temporary irritation of the eye and eyelid
- Fungal overgrowth
- Red eye(s)
- Eye discharge
- Eye pain
- Swelling around the eye.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice any other effects.
After using GENOPTIC® eye drops
Storage
Keep your eye drops in a cool place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Do not freeze the eye drops.
Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on window sills. Do not carry the eye drops in the pockets of your clothes. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Do not leave the top/lid off the bottle for any length of time to avoid contaminating the eye drops.
Disposal
Write the date on the bottle when you open the eye drops and throw out any remaining solution after four weeks.
Eye drops contain a preservative which helps prevent germs growing in the solution for the first four weeks after opening the bottle. After this time there is a greater risk that the drops may become contaminated and cause an eye infection. A new bottle should be opened.
If your doctor tells you to stop using the eye drops or they have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any remaining solution.
Product description
What it looks like
The eye drops come in a 5 mL sterile plastic bottle.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
gentamicin sulfate
Inactive ingredients:
polyvinyl alcohol, disodium edetate, sodium phosphate dibasic, sodium chloride,benzalkonium chloride, and purified water.
Manufacturer/Supplier
Allergan Australia Pty Ltd
810 Pacific Highway,
Gordon, NSW 2072
Allergan New Zealand Ltd,Auckland.
ARTG number: AUST R 23215
Date of preparation:
April 2015.
® Marks owned by Allergan, Inc.
Published by MIMS November 2015
