DrugindexOnline^{2nd edition}

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.—

• Ak-Con
• Albalon
• Allerest
• Allergy Drops
• Clear Eyes Lubricating Eye Redness Reliever
• Comfort Eye Drops
• Degest 2
• Estivin II
• I-Naphline
• Muro's Opcon
• Nafazair
• Naphcon
• Naphcon Forte
• Ocu-Zoline Sterile Ophthalmic Solution
• VasoClear
• VasoClear A
• Vasocon Regular

In Canada—

• Ak-Con
• Albalon Liquifilm
• Naphcon Forte
• Vasocon

Generic name product may be available in the U.S.

Category

• Decongestant, ophthalmic

Description

Naphazoline (naf-AZ-oh-leen) is used to relieve redness due to minor eye irritations, such as those caused by colds, dust, wind, smog, pollen, swimming, or wearing contact lenses.

Some of these preparations are available only with your doctor's prescription. Others are available without a prescription; however, your doctor may have special instructions on the proper use of this medicine for your medical problem.

Naphazoline is available in the following dosage form:

• Ophthalmic
• Ophthalmic solution (eye drops) (U.S. and Canada)

Before Using This Medicine

If you are using this medicine without a prescription, carefully read and follow any precautions on the label. For ophthalmic naphazoline, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy—This medicine may be absorbed into the body. However, studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding—Naphazoline may be absorbed into the mother's body. However, this medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children—Use by infants and children is not recommended, since they are especially sensitive to the effects of naphazoline.

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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of naphazoline in the elderly 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. 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 ophthalmic naphazoline. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus or
• Heart disease or
• High blood pressure or
• Overactive thyroid—Use of ophthalmic naphazoline may make the condition worse

• Eye disease, infection, or injury—The symptoms of the condition may be confused with possible side effects of ophthalmic naphazoline

Proper Use of This Medicine

Do not use naphazoline ophthalmic solution if it becomes cloudy or changes color.

Naphazoline should not be used in infants and children . It may cause severe slowing down of the central nervous system (CNS), which may lead to unconsciousness. It may also cause a severe decrease in body temperature.

Use this medicine only as directed . Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for more than 72 hours, unless otherwise directed by your doctor. To do so may make your eye redness and irritation worse and may also increase the chance of side effects.

To use:

• First, wash your hands. With the middle finger, apply pressure to the inside corner of the eye (and continue to apply pressure for 1 or 2 minutes after the medicine has been placed in the eye). Tilt the head back and with the index finger of the same hand, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to form a pouch. Drop the medicine into the pouch and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to be absorbed.
• To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). Also, keep the container tightly closed.

Dosing—The dose of ophthalmic naphazoline will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of ophthalmic naphazoline. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

• For ophthalmic solution (eye drop) dosage form:
  • For eye redness:
    • Adults—Use one drop not more often than every four hours.
    • Children—Use is not recommended.

Storage—To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Keep the medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Precautions While Using This Medicine

If eye pain or change in vision occurs or if redness or irritation of the eye continues, gets worse, or lasts for more than 72 hours, stop using the medicine and check with your doctor .

Side Effects of This Medicine

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

When this medicine is used for short periods of time at recommended doses, side effects usually are rare. However, check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following occur:

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your health care professional if either of the following side effects continues or is bothersome:

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your health care professional.

Revised: 02/24/1994

The information contained in the Thomson Healthcare (Micromedex) products as delivered by Drugs.com is intended as an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment. It is not a substitute for a medical exam, nor does it replace the need for services provided by medical professionals. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before taking any prescription or over the counter drugs (including any herbal medicines or supplements) or following any treatment or regimen. Only your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for you.

The use of the Thomson Healthcare products is at your sole risk. These products are provided "AS IS" and "as available" for use, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Thomson Healthcare and Drugs.com make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, usefulness or completeness of any of the information contained in the products. Additionally, THOMSON HEALTHCARE MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE OPINIONS OR OTHER SERVICE OR DATA YOU MAY ACCESS, DOWNLOAD OR USE AS A RESULT OF USE OF THE THOMSON HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED. Thomson Healthcare does not assume any responsibility or risk for your use of the Thomson Healthcare products.