Phenylephrine (Ophthalmic)

Brand Names : Ak-Dilate, Ak-Nefrin, Dilatair, I-Phrine, Isopto Frin, Mydfrin, Neofrin, Neo-Synephrine, Ocugestrin, Ocu-Phrin Sterile Eye Drops, Ocu-Phrin Sterile Ophthalmic Solution, Phenoptic, Prefrin Liquifilm, Relief Eye Drops for Red Eyes, Dionephrine, Minims Phenylephrine, Spersaphrine

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 phenylephrine, the following should be considered:

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

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

Breast-feeding - Ophthalmic phenylephrine may be absorbed into the mother's body. However, it is not known whether phenylephrine passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are using this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Children may be especially sensitive to the effects of phenylephrine. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment. In addition, the 10% strength is not recommended for use in infants. Also, the 2.5 and 10% strengths are not recommended for use in low birth weight infants.

Older adults - Repeated use of 2.5 or 10% phenylephrine may increase the chance of problems during treatment with this medicine. In addition, heart and blood vessel problems have occurred more often in elderly patients than 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 phenylephrine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure - The 2.5 and 10% strengths of phenylephrine may make the condition worse

• Idiopathic orthostatic hypotension (a certain kind of low blood pressure) - Use of this medicine may cause a large increase in blood pressure to occur