How valuable are your eyes to you? We need to be very careful about the medications we use when we have eye health problems. Perhaps you or someone in your family has been prescribed an eye medication for glaucoma. Today we are talking about an eye solution called Carbachol, which is commonly used in such cases and helps control the pressure inside the eye. Let us simply talk about everything you need to know when using this.
What exactly is Carbachol?
Simply put, this is a type of medicine that is given to reduce the pressure inside the eye. Our eyes produce fluid, and that fluid drains out of the eye. This is a normal process. But sometimes, if there is an obstruction in the outflow of this fluid, the pressure inside the eye starts to increase gradually. We call this condition glaucoma . This increased pressure can damage the optic nerve, which is essential for vision. Carbachol works by shrinking the pupil of the eye, making it easier for the fluid to drain out, and reducing the pressure in the eye.
In addition to treating glaucoma, doctors also use this medication to prepare the eye before certain eye surgeries.
Things you need to tell your doctor before using this medicine
Before your doctor prescribes this medication, it is very important to know your complete health history. Therefore, if you have any of the following conditions, be sure to tell your doctor.
| Health condition or habit | Why is that important? |
|---|---|
| If you have allergies to Carbachol or other medicines, foods, or dyes | This is essential to avoid serious allergic reactions. |
| If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant | Special care should be taken when using medications during pregnancy. |
| If you are a breastfeeding mother | It is important to consider whether the medicine passes to the baby through breast milk. |
| Lung or respiratory diseases such as asthma | This medicine can sometimes increase breathing difficulties. |
| Heart disease | It is important to be informed as it can affect heart rate. |
| Parkinson's disease | Symptoms may be affected. |
| Stomach or intestine problems | This medicine may affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal system. |
| Thyroid disease | Interactions may occur with thyroid conditions. |
| Difficulty urinating | This medicine may worsen the condition. |
| If you wear contact lenses | Lenses should be removed when applying medication, and you should ask your doctor about when to reinsert them. |
How exactly do I use this medicine?
Although applying eye drops may seem simple, doing it correctly is very important for the success of the medicine. Okay, let's see how to do this correctly.
1. Cleanliness first: Before applying medication, always wash your hands with soap and dry them thoroughly.
2. Remove Contact Lenses: If you wear contact lenses, remove them before applying the medication.
3. Correct posture: Tilt your head back slightly and look up. Gently pull your lower eyelid down with your index finger. This will create a small pouch-like space.
4. Putting in medicine drops: Be careful not to let the tip of the medicine bottle (dropper) touch your eyes, fingertips, or anywhere else. Doing so can transfer germs to the bottle. Put the number of drops of medicine prescribed by the doctor into the space provided, like that bag.
5. Spread the medicine: After applying the medicine, close your eye and wait for a minute or two. While doing so, gently press the inner corner of your eye with your index finger. This is very important. This will help keep the medicine inside the eye and prevent it from flowing down the tear duct into the nose and throat. This will ensure that the eye gets the full benefit of the medicine and reduce the side effects of the medicine being absorbed into the body.
6. Wipe away excess: Gently wipe away any excess medication that has gotten around the eye with a clean tissue.
7. Other medications: If you are using another type of eye medication, wait at least 5-10 minutes after applying this medication before applying the other medication.
Always take the medicine at the prescribed time and in the prescribed dosage. Do not stop taking the medicine without your doctor's advice.
What if I miss a dose of medicine?
Don't worry. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose (for example, it is within an hour or two), skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the scheduled time. Never take a double dose.
What are the possible side effects of the medication?
Like any medicine, Carbachol can cause side effects in some people. Some of these are serious, while others are common. The important thing is to be aware of these and take action quickly if necessary.
| Side effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Things to tell your doctor immediately | |
| Allergic Reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips or tongue. |
| Breathing Problems | Difficulty breathing or a feeling of tightness in the chest. |
| Eye Pain | Severe eye pain after instillation of medication. |
| Changes in heart rate | Feeling like your heart is beating fast or irregularly. |
| Nausea and vomiting (Nausea, Vomiting) | Vomiting with stomach pain. |
| Usually not serious, but tell your doctor if it persists. | |
| Blurred Vision | Vision may be slightly blurred immediately after applying the medication. |
| Headache | A slight headache, especially in the eyebrow area. |
| Other features | Diarrhea, excessive sweating, flushing. |
A few more things to be careful about
Vision and safety
This medicine may reduce your vision, especially at night or in low light. This is because this medicine makes the pupil smaller, which reduces the amount of light that enters the eye. Therefore, avoid activities that require clear vision, such as driving or operating machinery, until you know exactly how this medicine affects you.
Overdose
If you think you have taken too much medicine, don't panic and take immediate action. You can call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital . Or, go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital.
Use for children
Children may require special care when taking this medicine. Therefore, discuss it with your doctor and follow his/her instructions carefully.
Medicine storage
- Keep it in a safe place out of reach of children.
- Store at room temperature (8-27 °C). Protect from extreme heat or cold.
- Discard expired medicine bottles.
Take-Home Message
- Carbachol is a medicine used to lower eye pressure in conditions such as glaucoma. Always use it exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
- Inform your doctor about any other medical conditions you have (especially heart and respiratory diseases) and all other medications you are taking.
- Avoid driving and risky activities after taking the medicine, as vision may be blurred, especially at night.
- If you experience severe eye pain, difficulty breathing, or allergic symptoms, seek medical advice immediately.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Never share it with others.
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