INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS

Consumer Medicine Information

The sponsor (pharmaceutical company) of this product has advised Medsafe that this product has either been discontinued or is no longer marketed in New Zealand.
Therefore this CMI may not be up to date.
Medsafe has elected to leave it on this web site because supplies of this product may still be available, and consumers should continue to have access to this product information in the interim.
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DIPOQUIN^® Eye Drops 0.1%

dipivefrine hydrochloride

What Is In This Leaflet

Read this leaflet carefully before you start to use DIPOQUIN Eye Drops.

This leaflet has been written to answer some common questions about DIPOQUIN Eye Drops. It does not contain all of the available information and does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. In deciding to prescribe DIPOQUIN Eye Drops for you, your doctor has weighed the potential risks and the expected benefits of using this medicine.

The information in this leaflet applies to DIPOQUIN Eye Drops only. This information does not apply to similar products, even if they contain the same ingredients.

If you have any concerns about using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.

What DIPOQUIN Is Used For

DIPOQUIN Eye Drops contain the active ingredient dipivefrine hydrochloride. When used in the eye dipivefrine hydrochloride is converted to a drug known as adrenaline. Adrenaline belongs to a class of medicines known as "adrenergic stimulants".

DIPOQUIN Eye Drops are used, either alone or in combination with other medications, for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is described as the potential for impairment of vision due to an increase in the pressure within your eye that is not due to a physical defect in your eye.

Before You Use DIPOQUIN

Let your doctor know if any of the following applies to you before you start using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops:

You are allergic to dipivefrine hydrochloride, adrenaline, or to any of the other ingredients in DIPOQUIN Eye Drops (these are listed under "Product Description" );
You are pregnant, or are intending to become pregnant;
You are breastfeeding;
You have previously been diagnosed with narrow-angle glaucoma;
You have been previously diagnosed with high blood pressure or any type of cardiac (heart) disorder;
You are aphakic (the eye to be treated does not have a lens);
You are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy at a pharmacy or health food shop without a doctor's prescription.
This is particularly important if you are currently using any other type of anti-glaucoma medication or any other eye drops.

DIPOQUIN Eye Drops are not recommended for use in children.

Do not use DIPOQUIN Eye Drops if:

The seal around the cap is broken;
The solution appears to be darkened or the date (EXP) printed on the label and carton has passed.

Do not put DIPOQUIN Eye Drops into your eye(s) while you are wearing soft contact lenses.
You can put your soft contact lenses into your eyes 15 minutes after you have used DIPOQUIN Eye Drops.

Using DIPOQUIN

The usual dose of DIPOQUIN Eye Drops is one drop in the affected eye(s) two times each day. Your dosing instructions will be printed on the label your pharmacist put on the bottle or carton.

Do not use DIPOQUIN Eye Drops more often than your doctor or pharmacist has told you.

After using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops wait at least 5 minutes before putting any other eye drops in your eye(s).

If you are unsure about when to stop using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops you should talk to your doctor.

How to use DIPOQUIN

Follow these steps to use DIPOQUIN Eye Drops:

Wash your hands thoroughly.
Remove the cap from the bottle.
Hold the bottle upside down in one hand between your thumb and middle finger (see Diagram 1).

Diagram 1
While tilting your head back, gently pull the lower eyelid of your eye down using the forefinger of your other hand.
Place the dropper tip close to, but not touching, your lower eyelid and gently tap or press the base of the bottle with your forefinger to release one drop (see Diagrams 2 and 3).

Diagram 2 Diagram 3
Close your eye gently without blinking and press on the inside corner of eye with the pad of your index finger for two minutes.
If necessary repeat the above steps 1-6 for your other eye.
Place the cap on the bottle and close it tightly.
Wash your hands again.

You may feel a slight burning sensation in the eye shortly after using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops. If this persists, or is very uncomfortable, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Do not touch the tip of the dropper to your eye or to any other surface.

This will help to prevent your eye drops becoming dirty or contaminated.

If you forget to use DIPOQUIN

If you forget to use DIPOQUIN Eye Drops you should put the drops that you missed in as soon as you remember and then go back to using them normally. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose that you have missed and take your next dose when you are due to.

Never take a double dose to make up for the one that you missed. If you are not sure what to do, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In case of overdose

If you accidentally put too many drops in your eye(s) immediately rinse your eye(s) with warm water.

If anyone accidentally swallows DIPOQUIN Eye Drops immediately telephone the nearest Poisons Information Centre (in Australia call 13 11 26; in New Zealand call [03] 474 7000), your doctor or go to Casualty at the nearest Hospital.

While You Are Using DIPOQUIN

You should:

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while you are using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops before you start taking any other medicines.

Do not:

Do not let children handle DIPOQUIN Eye Drops. If a child accidentally swallows any of the drops read the instructions under "In case of overdose".
Do not stop using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops without first asking your doctor.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they appear to have the same condition as you.
You should not drive or operate machinery if DIPOQUIN Eye Drops affect your vision in any way.

Side Effects

All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects. Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops.

Most side effects from DIPOQUIN Eye Drops occur in, or around, the eye. These include:

Congestion of the eye(s);
Redness of the eye;
Burning, stinging or irritation in the eye(s);
Discomfort in the eye(s) due to a greater sensitivity to light.

Additional side effects that are noticed more rarely in the eye include:

Enlargement of your pupil(s) (this may result in blurred vision);
Pain in the eye(s).

Following the prolonged use of DIPOQUIN Eye Drops effects such as inflammation of the eyelid(s) and surrounding areas of the eye(s) and swelling of the surrounding areas of the eye(s) have been reported.

Occasionally some people notice unwanted effects in the rest of their body as a result of using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops. These effects may include:

Fast or irregular beating of the heart;
Headache;
Increase in blood pressure.

Let your doctor know if you observe any unwanted effects while using DIPOQUIN Eye Drops, even if they do not appear in the lists above.

After Using DIPOQUIN

Store DIPOQUIN Eye Drops in a cool place, below 25°C, protected from light. Do not freeze DIPOQUIN Eye Drops.

Do not leave DIPOQUIN Eye Drops in the car and do not leave them in the bathroom or in other warm, damp places.

Keep DIPOQUIN Eye Drops, and all other medicines, in a safe place away from children. Discard each bottle of DIPOQUIN Eye Drops 4 weeks after it has been opened. Write the date the bottle was opened on the label to remind you when to discard the bottle.

Product Description

Name: DIPOQUIN^® Eye Drops

Pack size: 10 mL DROP-TAINER^®

Active drug: dipivefrine hydrochloride (1 mg/mL)

Preservative: benzalkonium chloride (0.05 mg/mL)

Other ingredients: disodium edetate, sodium chloride, purified water

AUST R: 65969

Further Information

This leaflet does not contain all of the information available about DIPOQUIN Eye Drops. If you have any questions, or are not sure about anything regarding your medicine, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Supplied By

In Australia this product is supplied by:
Ioquin
(A Division of Alcon Laboratories (Australia) Pty Ltd)
25 Frenchs Forest Road East
FRENCHS FOREST NSW 2086

In New Zealand this product is distributed by:
Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd
76 Leonard Road
Mt Wellington, Auckland

This leaflet was prepared on 25 August 1998.

DIPOQUIN/CPI-#1

^®Registered Trademark