Eye Drops

[Bazzer65]

I have just had my eye drops changed to Cosopt (preservative free) but my weaker eye has reacted to them and both eyes sting when I add the drops , wondered if anyone else has had to stop using them sure to the same issue

Thanks

[callie77]

Hi Bazzer I've been on cosopt pf for a long time and have found them ok.Sorry I can't help you but I hope you get sorted soon.

Take care

[Bazzer65 in reply to callie77]

Hey how are you doing? Thanks for your reply. I’m not sure why I have had a reaction as they are preservative free and I’m usually fine with those

[callie77 in reply to Bazzer65]

yes thats strange, maybe perservere for a while longer to see if it improves.I'm doing ok just having problems getting my drops at moment.

It's never a straight road is it!! .

Hope you get sorted soon. Keep in touch

[budgies27]

I’ve been on Cosopt for a couple of years, they sting like mad when I first use them, I just wait till it goes off, maybe a couple of minutes. I tell myself it’s a small price to pay if they keep the pressures down.

[Bazzer65]

Thanks for your reply I appreciate it👍I wish it was just a sting but my eye is constantly sore, very bloodshot and nearly closed so I have to come off them and go back to Tiopex which isn’t ideal as they don’t keep my pressures as low as they should be ..

[UK23]

I had the same issue. I introduced a preservative free lubricant drop (I use Hyco sans extra) to alleviate the soreness as recommended by my consultant. Make sure you leave a gap between drops so it does not impact the Cosopt. Good luck.

[frankthebank]

Stinging doesn't necessarily mean a bad reaction, for Glaucoma drops stinging for me meant they worked better.

[Astilbe]

I used Cosopt about 3 years ago. At first they just stung and the feeling wore off. But it got worse over time. The rims of my eyes started crusting and blistering. It was during the Pandemic and I couldn't get any appointment so that somebody could change the eye drops. I had to carry on using them because my eye pressures were so high without any drops that I was scared of the damage to my sight. Even though I sent photos to my gp and they sent them to the eye clinic, there was no response.

By the time that I managed to actually see somebody about 4 months later, the pain and discomfort was intense. A red rash had spread all around my eyes spreading to my face to add to the crusting and blistering on my eyelids.

So yes, I certainly did have a severe reaction, although it was delayed. As soon as I stopped using the Cosopt my rash etc started to clear up. It was the ingredient Dorzolamide that caused it because the other ingredient (Timolol) had been in previous preparations causing no reaction. They were preservative free as well so it was definitely the Dorzolamide.

So maybe wait and see if it gets worse like mine did.

[Bazzer65 in reply to Astilbe]

Thank you for your reply and so sorry you had such a bad reaction. Before I got to that stage I have had to stop taking them and back on Tiopex for now 😢

[Ariommac19]

hi Bazzer. I was on cosopt for about 6 months. They contain dorzolamide and timolol. They were preservative free and stung. However it was the timolol that didn’t agree with me. It’s a beta blocker and I felt I was constantly dragging a ball and chain around. Truly awful.

So my optometrist th the hospital switched me to Trusopt , also preservative free. It was better but the still sting like the devil for about 2 minutes. I now take these 3 times a day to keep pressures around 10-12 ( I’ve normal pressure glaucoma) .

I don’t get the skin reaction you describe and I’m sorry to hear you’ve had such a horrid experience, just rather red rimmed at times.

I hope you find something that suits you.

[Bazzer65]

Thank you so much for your reply I have had to stop taking them and back in Tiopex but they don’t really keep my pressures down and it’s looking likely that I will have to have an operation 😢😢

[Astilbe in reply to Bazzer65]

Hi Bazzer65, you mention that you will likely have to have an operation.

After 23 years of eye drops my pressures couldn't be brought down lower than 24/26. and my visual fields were starting to be affected. I firstly had a presserflo shunt (problems with that but it is now working fine, pressure 15) and a trabulectomy in my other eye, pressure now 10.

After all of those years of drops and soreness I now do not have to have any drops at all apart from HyLofort moisturising drops occasionally. I have also had a cataract removed from the presserflo shunt eye.

I can honestly say that to me this is wonderful. So I am saying do not fear operations, they have certainly worked for me and it is such a relief not to have to use drops any more.

[Bazzer65 in reply to Astilbe]

I have lost some vision in my left eye and my pressures can vary between 16- 21 which isn’t everso high so my glaucoma is difficult to manage as my consultant still isn’t sure what is happening! Sadly I will never get the sight loss back but would be soooo happy just to get it stabilised

I really appreciate your reply as it really is helpful hearing other people’s stories so thank you so much 😊

[HMThai in reply to Astilbe]

Good morning from Thailand..... what a relief and change in your life style after all those years of eye drops!?.......Do you feel healthier without them?....Do you feel the difference in your well-being, personally and psychologically ?my IOP is stable @19/20 for Angle Closure and I feel that I can be drop free soon..I am in process to contact my GS as I must travel over 600 KM round-trip.. Good day to you!..... enjoy the eye drop free life....I must admit sometimes they get to me!.. You know what I mean!?

[whitedog]

Hi I've been on Cosopt for years and it stings a lot now. Not sure why as I don't think it did in the beginning. I did wonder if it's because I have uveitis in that eye and also dry eye issues. Am also on Monopost but that doesn't sting at all.

I just put up with it as, although I've lost most of the vision in that eye, for one reason or another, my pressures have been stable for a good while.

[Bazzer65]

Thank you for replying.. I have had to come off it and back on Tiopex .. I am also losing my sight in one eye and I am trying to research to see if there’s anything else I can do as my pressures aren’t that high so there’s no explanation as to why?? I’ll keep going and hopefully one day there will be something that will halt sight loss 🙏