Epinephrine (Ophthalmic)

Before Using This Medicine

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

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to epinephrine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as sulfites or other preservatives.

Pregnancy - Ophthalmic epinephrine may be absorbed into the body. However, studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding - Ophthalmic epinephrine may be absorbed into the body. However, it is not known whether epinephrine passes into the breast milk.

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

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of this medicine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

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. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

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

• Bronchial asthma or
• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) or
• Eye disease (other) or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure or
• Overactive thyroid - Epinephrine may make the condition worse

• Dental surgery on gums - Dental surgery may include the use of epinephrine in topical or injection form. Use of ophthalmic epinephrine during this time may increase blood levels of the medicine and increase the chance of side effects