Optilast 0.5 mg/ml Eye Drops, Solution
(azelastine hydrochloride)
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your medicine. This leaflet provides a summary of the information known about your medicine. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Remember this medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe this medicine and it may harm someone else, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
About your medicine
What is your medicine?
The full name of your medicine is Optilast 0.5 mg/ml Eye Drops, Solution (common name Azelastine hydrochloride) (referred to throughout this leaflet as “Optilast”).
Optilast contains a solution of 0.05% azelastine hydrochloride. Each drop contains 0.015 mg azelastine hydrochloride.
Optilast also contains benzalkonium chloride, disodium edetate, hypromellose, sorbitol, sodium hydroxide and water.
Optilast is a clear, colourless, sterilised, water based solution which comes in a polyethylene bottle with dropper attachment. The bottle contains 8 ml of eye drops.
What your medicine does
Optilast contains an antihistamine called azelastine hydrochloride. This compound prevents the effects of histamine (and other substances that the body produces), which are produced as part of an allergic reaction.
Who produces your medicine
The marketing authorisation for Optilast is held by:
Optilast is manufactured by:
What your medicine is used for
Optilast is used to treat and prevent both seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (hayfever, which is allergy to pollen) and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (which is allergy to other substances, such as house dust mites and animal dander, and which can occur at any time of the year).
The symptoms of these conditions are red, itchy and/or watery eyes, sometimes together with sneezing or a runny, itchy or blocked nose. Optilast should help with the eye symptoms.
Before using your medicine
You should not take Optilast
- If you have ever had an allergic reaction to azelastine hydrochloride, benzalkonium chloride (a preservative) or any of the other ingredients listed above.
Important points to note before starting to use your medicine.
- Are you pregnant?
- Are you breast feeding?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you must tell your doctor - he may decide to alter your treatment.
What about other medicines that you may be taking?
Optilast is not known to react with any other medicines.
What about food and drink?
Optilast is not known to react with any types of food and drink.
What to do if you see a different doctor, or have to go to hospital.
If you see any other doctor or go to hospital for treatment, tell your doctor about all your medicines, including Optilast.
Special warnings and precautions
Optilast is not recommended for use whilst wearing contact lenses.
Optilast is not intended for the treatment of eye infections.
Optilast contains a preservative called benzalkonium chloride to which you may be allergic.
Optilast should only be applied to the eyes, do not drink it.
Optilast should not be used for more than 6 weeks when used to treat perennial allergic conjunctivitis.
Like other eye drops, you may have a transient blurring of vision after instilling the eye drops. You should wait until this clears before driving or operating machinery.
Using your medicine
How to use your medicine
To help you to instil Optilast correctly, you may find it useful to sit in front of a mirror so you can see what you are doing for the first few times. Wash your hands then;
- 1. Gently wipe around your eyes with a tissue to remove any moisture (Diagram 1).
- 2. Unscrew the top of the bottle and check that the dropper is clean.
- 3. Gently pull your lower eyelid down (Diagram 2).
- 4. Carefully place one drop inside the middle of your lower eyelid (Diagram 3). Take care not to let the dropper touch your eye.
- 5. Release your lower eyelid and gently press on the inner corner of your eye against the bridge of your nose (Diagram 4). Then keeping your finger pressed against your nose, slowly blink your eye a few times to spread the drop across the surface of your eye. Blot away any excess medication.
- 6. Repeat this procedure for your other eye.
Instil one drop to each eye in the morning and the evening. In more severe cases, your doctor may prescribe one drop in each eye, four times a day. Always use Optilast as prescribed by your doctor.
Optilast is suitable for use in adults and children aged 4 years and over for the treatment of hayfever, but should not be used in children under 12 years for the treatment of perennial allergic conjunctivitis.
What to do if you forget to use your medicine
If you forget to use your eyedrops, use them as soon as you remember then instil the next dose at the normal time.
What to do if you take an overdose
If you put too much Optilast into your eyes you are unlikely to have any problems. If you are worried, contact your doctor. There is little risk of overdose associated with swallowing Optilast because of the small amount of medicine that it contains, however if anyone, especially a child accidentally drinks Optilast, contact your doctor or local hospital casualty department immediately.
After using your medicine
Optilast may, like many other medicines, have some side-effects. These are not usually serious. Some people experience a slight irritation in their eyes after instilling Optilast, this does not last long. You may develop a bitter taste in your mouth, which should quickly disappear, especially if you have a soft drink. In very rare cases, allergic reactions may occur.
If you notice any other problems, tell your doctor.
How to store your medicine
- Keep Optilast in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it. Used wrongly, your eye drops could harm them.
- Do not use Optilast after the expiry date on the bottle.
- Once you have opened your bottle of Optilast, do not use it for longer than 4 weeks, even if there is some medicine left in the bottle after this time. Take your bottle back to a pharmacist for disposal of the unused eye drops and ask your doctor for a new prescription.
Optilast is a Registered Trade Mark
© MEDA
This leaflet was written in September 1997, updated July 2006
UK 5619 9008
777134VI21/3X
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