Drug
Apraclonidine
Pronounced
"ap-ruh-KLON-eh-deen"
Uses
This medication is used to treat or prevent high pressure inside the eye that may occur during and after laser eye surgery. Decreasing high pressure inside the eye may help to prevent decreased vision or blindness in the eye treated by laser surgery. Apraclonidine is thought to work by decreasing the amount of fluid within the eye.
How to Use This Medication
This medication is given as an eye drop, usually by a health care professional. It should not be taken by mouth or injected into the eye. For laser eye surgery, it is usually given 1 hour before laser treatment and repeated at the end of treatment.
To apply eye drops, wash your hands first. To avoid contamination, be careful not to touch the dropper tip or let it touch your eye or any other surface.
Tilt your head back, look up, and pull down the lower eyelid to make a pouch. Hold the dropper directly over your eye and place 1 drop into the pouch. Release the eyelid and gently close your eyes. Place one finger at the corner of your eye (near the nose) and apply gentle pressure for 1 to 2 minutes. This will prevent the medication from draining out. Try not to blink and do not rub your eye.
Remove extra solution around the eye with a tissue and wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them.
If you are using another kind of eye medication (such as drops or ointments), wait at least 5 minutes before using the other medication. Use eye drops before ointments to allow the eye drops to enter the eye.