Xalatan and/or Equivalents

Xalatan (latanoprost)

Xalatan Description

Xalatan is a medicine for the eyes that comes in the form of eye drops. It contains the active ingredient prostaglandin analogue that is used for containing the pressure in the eye. Those individuals who have excessive pressure in the eyes (called ocular hypertension) or suffer from open-angle glaucoma. Aqueous humuor maintains the optimum pressure levels in the eye. Aqueous humour is a liquid, produced by the ciliary body. There is constant flow of the liquid in our eyes, with special pathways know as the trabecular network. When there is an obstruction in these channels, the aqueous humour fails to drain out and starts building up leading to a rise in ocular pressure. If this pressure keeps on rising, it can cause harm and possible damage to the nerves in the eye. This could even lead to vision problems and complete loss of the same. What Xalatan does is to act like the natural secretion prostaglandin. These aid the timely draining of the excess aqeues humour. Naturally therefore the ocular pressure is kept under check due to this. Thus further complications associated with conditions such as glaucoma are averted.

Conditions Treated by Xalatan

As stated above, Xalatan is used in certain eye conditons such as ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Glaucoma is a syndrome in which there is elevated pressure in the eyes, damage caused to the nerves of the eyes, loss of side vision. In worst cases, if left untreated it can lead to blindness also. It must be noted though that high pressure in the eyes can be linked to several factors. But almost always, ocular hypertension will be associated with glaucoma. Hence using Xalatan to control this pressure can prevent glaucoma. Open angle glaucoma being incurable, the best treatment is to control the pressure in the eyes when it occurs.

Xalatan Dosage Information

a.)Typical Dosage Recommendations

The typical dose of Xalatan is one drop, which is equivalent to 1.5 µg of the medicine. It is recommended that the drops be administered in the evening. The reason why the drops are administered in the evening is that, the effect of the drug begins at least 3 to 4 hours later; and the effect lasts for long, reaching a maximal level at 12 hours. Therefore the pressure is maintained optimally. Also, since other prostaglandins could often be given along with Xalatan, this one dose in the evening proves to work in most cases. Over-reduction in the ocular pressure is also problematic; therefore the treatment must be strictly done as per medical advice. Often therefore patients are advised to keep adequate time difference between the administering of different eye drops.

b.) Missing A Dose

Xalatan being prescribed in the evenings and that too a single drop means that it is quite easy to remember. Even for patients who are working, it is easy to remember since the medicine needs to be administered at the end of the day. However missing a dose is likely. Ideally the doctor will have stated clearly about what should be done is case of a missed dose; however it is ultimately the patient’s duty to find out. Xalatan being a highly effective drug, just a single drop is effective. Excessive use of the same can cause other problems. Hence the dose should never be doubled. When a dose is missed, it is best to simply move over to the next dose.

c.) Overdosing

Xalatan drug comes in a very handy size with a dropper that is highly accurate. Therefore it is rare for overdosing to take place. In cases when it does happen, the patient might experience some redness and irritation in the eyes. The best thing to do then is to visit the ophthalmic specialist or call the helpline given on the packet.

Xalatan Warnings

Xalatan is strictly avoided in children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. The drug can cause likely harm to young children or in case of pregnant women it can affect the fetus. Xalatan can enter the body and thereby affect the breast milk in lactating mothers, therefore breast feeding and Xalatan cannot go together. There are certain conditions in which patients need to take extra care when they use Xalatan. These include inflammation of the eye (conjunctivitis), pigmentary glaucoma, neovascular glaucoma, glaucoma present since birth, vision complications due to Diabetes, asthmatic patients. Patients wearing contact lenses must remove them before administering the Xalatan drops. However the patient is usually provided all the instructions suitable to their specific case when doctors take a detailed medical history; so they need to simply follow the instructions carefully.

Xalatan Side Effects

Side effects are a normal part of any drug. However not all side effects will be found in every patient. Likewise the severity of side effects is also variable across patients. Hence when taking any drug such as Xalatan, being aware of the likely side effects is a good idea. Xalatan can cause certain side effects such as:

• Irritation in the eye
• Tingling sensation in the eyes
• Momentary blurriness in eyes
• Redness of the eyes
• A slight rash or pain in the eyes
• Swelling of the eyelids, iris or the frontal portion of eyes
• Macular edema
• Changes in the eyelashes (thickening or darkening)
• Darkened eyelids
• Edema of the cornea
• Breathlessness or asthma related problems
• Giddiness and headache
• Pain in the chest

Patients must always tell their ophthalmic doctor about the side effects, even if they might be expected. It is possible that the doctor might advise on lessening the side effects or at least managing them well.

Possible Drug Interactions With Xalatan

When more than one drug is administered (irrespective of the organ they are directed to) they may interfere. Xalatan is often given as part of treatment, so there might be other medications and eye drops. For more than one eye drop, it is recommended that there be adequate time gap between administrations. Also, patients must inform the doctor of any non-prescription medicines or herbal medicines they might be taking. These can also possibly interact with Xalatan.

If you have any questions about buying discount Xalatan online or any other prescription products you can contact our team of professional Patient Service Representatives or one of our pharmacists 24-7 by calling 1-800-226-3784.

Notice: The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Xalatan and/or Equivalents warnings, side-effects and general information