Brinzolamide (Ophthalmic)

Brand Names : Azopt

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For ophthalmic brinzolamide, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to brinzolamide or to any of the sulfonamides (sulfa medicines). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as benzalkonium chloride or other preservatives.

Pregnancy - Ophthalmic brinzolamide has not been studied in pregnant women. However, in animals given very high doses by mouth it caused decreased weight gain and some harmful effects in both the mothers and offspring. Before using this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether ophthalmic brinzolamide passes into breast milk. However, it has been found to pass into breast milk in animals and the breast-fed offspring gained less weight than normal. Discuss with your doctor whether or not to breast-feed during treatment with this medicine.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients and there is no specific information comparing use of brinzolamide in children with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking brinzolamide, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor-type glaucoma medicine you take by mouth (for example, acetazolamide [e.g., Diamox], dichlorphenamide [e.g., Daranide], or methazolamide [e.g., Neptazane]) - Effects of these medicines and brinzolamide on the body may be increased

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of brinzolamide. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Kidney disease, severe or
• Liver disease - Effects of ophthalmic brinzolamide may be increased because of slower removal from the body