Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Betoptic S

Descriptions


Betaxolol eye drops is used alone or together with other medicines to treat increased pressure in the eye that is caused by open-angle glaucoma or a condition called ocular (eye) hypertension. This medicine is a beta-blocker.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Suspension
  • Solution

Before Using

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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of betaxolol eye drops in children.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of betaxolol eye drops in the elderly.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

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. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Albuterol
  • Ceritinib
  • Clonidine
  • Crizotinib
  • Darunavir
  • Diltiazem
  • Disopyramide
  • Dronedarone
  • Fenoldopam
  • Fingolimod
  • Formoterol
  • Indacaterol
  • Iohexol
  • Lacosamide
  • Levalbuterol
  • Olodaterol
  • Ponesimod
  • Rivastigmine
  • Salmeterol
  • Siponimod
  • Terbutaline
  • Verapamil
  • Vilanterol

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Acarbose
  • Aceclofenac
  • Acemetacin
  • Acetyldigoxin
  • Albiglutide
  • Alfuzosin
  • Alogliptin
  • Amtolmetin Guacil
  • Aspirin
  • Bromfenac
  • Bufexamac
  • Bunazosin
  • Canagliflozin
  • Celecoxib
  • Chlorpropamide
  • Choline Salicylate
  • Clonixin
  • Dapagliflozin
  • Deslanoside
  • Dexibuprofen
  • Dexketoprofen
  • Diclofenac
  • Diflunisal
  • Digitoxin
  • Digoxin
  • Dipyrone
  • Doxazosin
  • Droxicam
  • Dulaglutide
  • Empagliflozin
  • Ertugliflozin
  • Etodolac
  • Etofenamate
  • Etoricoxib
  • Exenatide
  • Felbinac
  • Fenoprofen
  • Fepradinol
  • Feprazone
  • Floctafenine
  • Flufenamic Acid
  • Flurbiprofen
  • Glimepiride
  • Glipizide
  • Glyburide
  • Ibuprofen
  • Indomethacin
  • Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
  • Insulin Degludec
  • Insulin Detemir
  • Insulin Glargine, Recombinant
  • Insulin Glulisine
  • Insulin Human Inhaled
  • Insulin Human Isophane (NPH)
  • Insulin Human Regular
  • Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
  • Ketoprofen
  • Ketorolac
  • Linagliptin
  • Liraglutide
  • Lixisenatide
  • Lornoxicam
  • Loxoprofen
  • Lumiracoxib
  • Meclofenamate
  • Mefenamic Acid
  • Meloxicam
  • Metformin
  • Metildigoxin
  • Miglitol
  • Morniflumate
  • Moxisylyte
  • Nabumetone
  • Naproxen
  • Nateglinide
  • Nepafenac
  • Niflumic Acid
  • Nimesulide
  • Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin
  • Oxaprozin
  • Oxyphenbutazone
  • Parecoxib
  • Phenoxybenzamine
  • Phentolamine
  • Phenylbutazone
  • Piketoprofen
  • Pioglitazone
  • Piroxicam
  • Pramlintide
  • Pranoprofen
  • Prazosin
  • Proglumetacin
  • Propyphenazone
  • Proquazone
  • Repaglinide
  • Rofecoxib
  • Rosiglitazone
  • Salicylic Acid
  • Salsalate
  • Saxagliptin
  • Sitagliptin
  • Sodium Salicylate
  • St John's Wort
  • Sulindac
  • Tamsulosin
  • Tenoxicam
  • Terazosin
  • Tiaprofenic Acid
  • Tolazamide
  • Tolbutamide
  • Tolfenamic Acid
  • Tolmetin
  • Trimazosin
  • Urapidil
  • Valdecoxib
  • Vildagliptin

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

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

  • Blood vessel disease (eg, Raynaud phenomenon) or
  • Diabetes or
  • Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or
  • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or
  • Lung or breathing problems (eg, asthma) or
  • Muscle problems or
  • Stroke, history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • Bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or
  • Cardiogenic shock or
  • Heart block or
  • Heart failure—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

Proper Use

Your eye doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to. This medicine is not for long-term use.

Shake the medicine well just before each use.

This medicine can be used with other eye drops. Wait at least 10 minutes before using another eye drops. This will help prevent the second medicine from “washing out” the first one.

If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them before you use the eye drops. Wait for at least 15 minutes before putting the contact lenses back in.

To use the eye drops:

  • First, wash your hands. Tilt the head back and, pressing your finger gently on the skin just beneath the lower eyelid, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to make a space. Drop the medicine into this space. Let go of the eyelid and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed and apply pressure to the inner corner of the eye with your finger for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to be absorbed by the eye.
  • Immediately after using the medicine, wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them.
  • 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. Serious damage to the eye and possible loss of vision may result from using contaminated eye drops.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine 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 this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For ophthalmic dosage form (eye drops):
    • For glaucoma or ocular hypertension:
      • Adults and children—One drop in the affected eye(s) 2 times a day.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, apply it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

If itching, redness, swelling, or other signs of eye or eyelid irritation occur, check with your doctor. These signs may mean that you are allergic to this medicine.

Betaxolol may cause heart failure in some patients. Check with your doctor right away if you are having chest pain or discomfort, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, trouble breathing, or weight gain.

This medicine may cause changes in your blood sugar levels. Also, this medicine may cover up signs of low blood sugar, such as a rapid pulse rate. Check with your doctor if you have these problems or if you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using this medicine several days before having surgery.

Check with your doctor right away if you have changes in vision, flashes of light, or floaters in vision. These may be symptoms of choroidal detachment (bleeding inside the eye).

This medicine may cause blurred vision or other vision problems. If any of these occur, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not able to see well. If these reactions are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

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.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

  1. Eye pain

Rare

  1. Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
  2. blue lips, fingernails, or skin
  3. blurred vision
  4. change in color vision
  5. chest pain, tightness, or discomfort
  6. chills
  7. cough
  8. crusting of eyelashes
  9. decreased urine output
  10. decreased vision
  11. diarrhea
  12. different size pupils of the eyes
  13. difficulty in breathing, chewing, swallowing, or talking
  14. difficulty seeing at night
  15. dilated neck veins
  16. double vision
  17. drainage from eyes
  18. drooping eyelids
  19. fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
  20. feeling of having something in the eye
  21. hives, itching skin, or rash
  22. increased sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight
  23. irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
  24. irritation or inflammation of the eye
  25. itching, dryness of the eyes
  26. joint or muscle pain
  27. lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
  28. muscle weakness
  29. noisy breathing
  30. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  31. red skin lesions, often with a purple center
  32. red, irritated eyes
  33. severe tiredness
  34. sore throat
  35. sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
  36. sweating
  37. swelling of the eyelids
  38. swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
  39. tearing
  40. thickened mucous from the lungs
  41. trouble breathing
  42. unusual tiredness or weakness
  43. weight gain

Some 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. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Rare

  1. Bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
  2. change in sense of smell
  3. change in taste
  4. discouragement
  5. feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
  6. feeling sad or empty
  7. hair loss
  8. headache
  9. irritability
  10. lack of appetite
  11. loss of interest or pleasure
  12. redness, swelling, or soreness of tongue
  13. sensation of spinning
  14. tiredness
  15. trouble concentrating
  16. trouble sleeping
  17. unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness

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

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.