Travatan eye drops are used for open-angle glaucoma. The disease is associated with increased intraocular pressure due to impaired fluid outflow. Open-angle glaucoma is dangerous because it has a latent course; its symptoms may appear when irreversible changes occur in the eye. Vision gradually deteriorates, headaches appear, and rainbow rings appear when looking at the light. To slow down the development of the disease, Travatan drops are prescribed to normalize blood pressure.
Composition and release form
The ophthalmic agent Travatan is an opalescent liquid for instillation into the eyes, colorless and odorless. A slightly yellowish tint is possible, which does not affect the medicinal properties of the drug. The active substance of the drops is a chemical compound - travoprost. 1 ml of liquid contains 40 mcg of substance. Additionally, the eye drops contain components that improve absorption and the effect of travoprost and preserve the shelf life of the product:
- propylene glycol;
- macrogol glyceryl hydroxystearate;
- boric acid;
- propylene glycol;
- mannitol;
- sodium chloride;
- purified water;
- sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid (the composition may contain either two substances or one);
- polydronium chloride.
The solution is poured into dropper bottles made of polypropylene. The volume of one bottle of Travatan is 2.5 ml. The drug is sealed in a foil bag and cardboard packaging with instructions inside.
pharmachologic effect
Travatan eye drops are classified as antiglaucoma ophthalmic agents. The active substance is a synthetic analogue of prostaglandin F2a. Travoprost reduces intraocular pressure, which is one of the causes of glaucoma. The therapeutic effect is achieved by increasing the rate of outflow of aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork and uveoscleral pathways.
The active substance selectively excites the receptors of the ciliary body, promoting the outflow of fluid inside the eye located between the cornea and the lens. This mechanism of action reduces intraocular pressure. Travatan drops do not affect the production of intraocular fluid. High blood pressure begins to decrease approximately 2 hours after instillation. The peak effect of the drug occurs after 12 hours. After a single instillation, the reduced pressure can persist for up to 1 day.
Pharmacokinetics
Travoprost penetrates the cornea of the eye, undergoes a hydrolysis reaction, turning into a biologically active form in the form of a free acid. Its maximum level in blood plasma is detected 15-25 minutes after instillation in an amount of 25 pg/ml or less. The chemical is quickly removed from the blood plasma, and within 60 minutes its level decreases to a threshold that is not always detectable from 10 pg/ml and below.
The exact time of elimination of the ophthalmic drug could not be determined, since its presence in the general bloodstream is extremely small. The method of excretion of the active substance occurs due to its metabolic process, which is similar to the metabolism of endogenous prostaglandin. Travoprost in the form of free acid along with metabolites is eliminated from the body through the kidneys in the urine.
Indications and contraindications for use
Travatan drops are prescribed for open-angle glaucoma, increased ophthalmotonus in combination with high intraocular pressure in people over 18 years of age. Restrictions on use:
- breast-feeding;
- pregnancy;
- age under 18 years;
- increased sensitivity, individual intolerance to chemicals in eye drops.
Caution when using is necessary for people with aphakia, pseudophakia due to a rupture of the lens membrane or intraocular lens. Drops are prescribed with caution in cases of high probability of cystoid macular edema, iritis, uveitis, and the presence of acute inflammatory eye diseases.
Read more Instructions for using L-Optic eye drops
Conditions for release from pharmacies and storage
The drug is sold according to a doctor's prescription. The shelf life of the medicine is 2 years. After opening the bottle, the medicinal solution can be used for no more than 4 weeks.
There are no special storage conditions for the drug. But doctors recommend storing the medicine at a temperature no higher than +25 degrees. The opened bottle can be kept in a cool place, and warmed up a little before use by holding the bottle in your hand.
Travatan must be stored out of the reach of children. Until the end of treatment with the drug, you should not throw away the original packaging and instructions for use.
To avoid accidents, it is recommended to keep all medications away from children. Ideally in a special box with a lock.
Instructions for use of Travatan drops
The product is intended only for local use - instillation into the eyes. The standard dosage is 1 drop into the conjunctival sac 1 time per day in the evening or before bedtime. To maintain a therapeutic dose of the active substance in the eye, instillation is recommended to be carried out at the same time. If the instillation is missed, next time instill 1 drop; there is no need to increase the amount. Apply no more than 1 drop per day. The duration of treatment is determined by the ophthalmologist.
To reduce the likelihood of negative systemic reactions, after instillation it is recommended to lightly press the nasolacrimal duct in the area of the inner corner of the eye (closer to the bridge of the nose).
Thus, the amount of active substance entering the general bloodstream will decrease, and its level in the eye will increase. In case of renal or liver dysfunction of any severity, no dose adjustment is required.
Before instillation, you must wash your hands with soap. Tilt your head slightly back, pull the lower eyelid slightly down, add 1 drop of Travatan. During the procedure, it is not recommended to touch the tip of the bottle to the eyelashes, eyelids, skin or touch it with your hands, otherwise pathogenic flora may enter and the solution may become contaminated. In order for the drug to be evenly distributed over the surface of the eye, it is necessary to make circular movements with the eyeballs or blink quickly.
About receiving the product
Travatan is used locally. As a rule, it needs to be buried. The number of drops is one or two for each eye. This is done once a day.
Advice! It is best to instill the product in the evening or right before bed. This way there is less chance of forgetting about the appointment and it is easier to track the result of its work.
It is highly not recommended to use the medicine more than once a day. Increasing the multiplicity will not make the treatment more effective, but it will provide a “gift” in the form of an increased risk of side effects.
Everyone should know how to take medicine correctly
Treatment of an eye pathology such as glaucoma should be carried out under the close supervision of the attending physician. You need to visit him two or three times over two to three months.
One point worth noting is the body’s adaptation to the drug. If the body gets used to the drug "Travatan", the effect will be significantly reduced. To prevent this, the patient needs to switch to another drug.
Use of Travatan in pregnant and lactating women
The manufacturer indicates in the instructions that there is no data on the effect of Travatan on the body of a pregnant woman or fetus or limited access. It is unknown whether the active ingredient passes into breast milk. All prostaglandins, including their analogues, are biologically active compounds that can penetrate the body by being absorbed through the skin.
Given this fact, pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid contact with these substances so that they do not come into contact with the skin. In case of contact, rinse the area with plain tap water. No studies have been conducted on the effect of drops on human fertility or the condition of the fetus; experiments on animals did not show any negative reactions. In animal studies of the active component, travoprost, evidence was obtained of an adverse effect on reproductive function.
Since there is no data confirming the safety of Travatan drops for pregnant women and lactating women, the use of the product for this category of people is prohibited. If during the feeding period the use of drops is necessary, the baby is transferred to artificial feeding. To maintain lactation, milk is expressed. You can return to breastfeeding after stopping the medication.
Side effects of Travatan drops
Most often among patients using the drug, side effects manifested themselves in the form of hyperpigmentation of the iris and conjunctival injection. Possible rare and extremely rare negative reactions from the organ of vision:
- pain, itching, burning in the eyes;
- corneal erosion;
- erythema of the eyelids;
- discomfort in the eyes;
- blepharitis;
- dry eye syndrome;
- swelling of the periorbital area;
- inflammation of the conjunctiva;
- cataract or its exacerbation;
- decreased visual acuity;
- increased sensitivity to light;
- punctate keratitis;
- discoloration of eyelashes;
- increased eyelash growth and thickening;
- blurred vision;
- asthenopia;
- retraction of the eyeballs;
- eye hypoesthesia;
- rainbow circles when looking at a light source;
- folliculosis of the conjunctiva;
- mydriasis
Negative reactions from the cardiovascular system can manifest themselves as a feeling of heartbeat, a decrease in heart rate, a decrease or increase in blood pressure, discomfort in the chest, bradycardia, tachycardia.
For the lungs, side effects may include breathing problems, throat irritation, cough, and nasal congestion. With bronchial asthma, there may be attacks of shortness of breath or worsening of the disease. From the gastrointestinal tract: stool disturbance, nausea, dry mouth, discomfort in the abdomen, exacerbation of chronic ulcers. An extremely rare manifestation of the urinary system is urinary incontinence.
Read more How to use Korneregel eye drops: instructions and reviews
Possible pain in muscles, joints, tinnitus, dizziness, headache, anxiety, exacerbation of diseases caused by Herpes simplex. Extremely rare manifestations of the skin and subcutaneous tissues:
- skin discoloration;
- excessive or abnormal growth of vellus hair, changes in its structure;
- skin itching;
- contact, allergic dermatitis;
- excessive pigmentation of the skin in the area around the eyes;
- skin rashes;
- erythema.
If these symptoms occur, you should stop using the drug and consult a doctor.
Side effects
Immediately after taking the drug, the patient may feel discomfort in the eye area, which tends to subsequently decrease after some time. In addition, irritation intensifies, as a result of which the production of fluid inside the eyes accelerates, a strong burning sensation occurs, and the conjunctiva turns red.
"Travatan" temporarily reduces visual acuity and promotes the appearance of edema in the eyelids and cornea.
After taking the drug, a temporary decrease in visual acuity is possible
The medicine can also cause the following pathologies:
- macular edema;
- conjunctivitis;
- uveitis;
- keratitis.
Rare side effects of the drug "Travatan" are as follows:
- pain in the head and heart, as well as in muscles and joints;
- changes in blood pressure;
- the appearance of an acute form of stomach ulcer;
- problems with bowel movements and urination;
- unstable emotional state (including depression);
- increase in the amount of cholesterol in the blood;
- diseases of the respiratory system (for example, bronchitis with accompanying bronchospasm);
- accelerated production of pigments followed by their massive deposition on the skin. This process is called hyperpigmentation.
Some side effects may occur
Before taking the medicine, the patient should be informed that long-term use leads to the following consequences:
- change in eye color and skin around the eyelids;
- growth of the length and thickness of the patient's eyelashes.
Overdose
Despite the huge list of possible side effects, symptoms of overdose are extremely rare if you use ophthalmic drops as prescribed by a doctor or instructions. In case of accidental ingestion of Travatan solution, symptomatic therapy is indicated, depending on the negative reactions that occur. If you accidentally drink the entire bottle, drink water and induce vomiting, consult a doctor. If you instill excess drops, rinse your eyes with warm tap water. After contact with skin, rinse the area with plain water.
Side effects and use with other drugs
Immediately after instillation of the medicinal solution, eye irritation may increase. The most commonly observed side effects are:
- Burning and itching of the eyes.
- Redness of the mucous membranes and eyelids.
- Profuse lacrimation.
- Photophobia.
- Short-term deterioration in visual acuity.
- Swelling in the area of the macula.
In rare cases, systemic side effects are observed. This may include headaches, depression, muscle pain, heart problems, increased cholesterol and urinary incontinence.
The doctor should warn the patient that long-term use of the drug Travatan may change the color of the eyes. In addition, the medicine leads to increased eyelash growth.
To date, no cases of overdose have been reported. If you increase the frequency of use of the drug, eye irritation will increase. In case of accidental ingestion of a medicinal solution, the victim is given a lot of water to drink and induced to vomit. After this, adsorbents can be given.
To date, no interactions with other drugs have been identified. If the doctor has prescribed several medications at the same time to treat the eyes, then a time interval of at least 10 minutes must be maintained between their use. If eye ointment is included in the treatment regimen, it is used last.
Normally, all side effects disappear within a few minutes. If the discomfort persists for too long, stop using the drug and consult a doctor.
special instructions
When instilling, it is not recommended to touch the drop dispenser to the skin, eyelashes, eyelids or touch it with your hands, so as not to contaminate the solution. Impaired visual acuity and temporary blurred vision are possible, so it is not advisable to drive behind the wheel immediately after instillation. People working with mechanical machines or driving vehicles must take into account that the drug can cause a side effect in the form of visual impairment, which may not appear immediately after instillation.
The ophthalmic drops contain propylene glycol, macrogol glyceryl hydroxystearate, which can irritate the skin; therefore, it is undesirable for the solution to come into contact with the skin. When wearing lenses, they are removed before instillation and put on after the procedure 15 minutes later. The drug is used with caution when removing the lens or disrupting the structure of the lens.
Travatan drops are often instilled into both eyes; when instilled in one eye, heterochromia (different iris colors) is possible due to the absorption of the drug into the general bloodstream.
Before using the drops, you must check the expiration date and the integrity of the bottle. It is prohibited to use expired medication.
Analogs
An analogue of Travatan, containing the same active ingredient - Travapress drops. Drugs with similar effects, different composition:
- Xalatan - the active substance is latanoprost, which reduces intraocular pressure in adults and children over 1 year of age. Prescribed for open-angle glaucoma and high ophthalmotonus.
- Okumed is an inexpensive analogue in action, the price is about 70 rubles. The active ingredient is timolol. A beta blocker reduces both normal and high pressure inside the eye. The effect can be noticed after 20 minutes. Used for open-angle, congenital, and secondary glaucoma.
- Pilocarpine is a cheap analogue, costing about 30 rubles. The active ingredient is similar to the name. Used for acute attacks of glaucoma, corneal abscesses, retinal vein thrombosis and other conditions and diseases.
- Azarga - antiglaucoma combined drops containing timolol, brinzolamide. Relatively expensive - average price 1000 rubles. Prescribed to reduce pressure in the eye, in case of ineffectiveness of products containing one substance in the composition.
- Azopt is an antiglaucoma suspension with the active ingredient bronzolamide. Indications are similar to Travatan.
- Timolol contains a chemical substance similar to its name. Used to reduce pressure in closed-angle (as an additional agent), open-angle, and congenital glaucoma.
- Fotil is a combined antiglaucoma solution for instillation. Contains 2 chemicals: pilocarpine, timolol. Used in cases where a combination of two components is necessary: various types of glaucoma, conditions after eye surgery.
Read more Restasis eye drops - how to use
You can replace Travatan only on the recommendation of a doctor; independent use can aggravate the course of glaucoma and other diseases of the organ of vision.
Reviews
This drug is quite common in medical practice and has both positive and negative opinions from both doctors and patients. Experts note that the advantages are that it quickly helps in treating the disease and has few strict contraindications. Recovers well after surgery, no overdose symptoms have been detected. The downside is that side effects occur relatively often, and the medicine has to be replaced with some analogue.
Most reviews from consumers speak positively about Travatan. Its effectiveness and ease of use are noted. The downside is that not everyone can afford to buy it and have to replace it with a cheaper analogue.
Examples
№1. I used Betoptik for two years, after which the doctor changed it to Travatan. I’ve been taking it for several days now and I don’t feel very good. I drop it before going to bed and sometimes wake up from discomfort - a burning sensation in both eyes. In the morning your eyes are red, you should probably replace the drug with more gentle drops.
№2. My eyelashes grew like a cow's in a couple of months. The pigmentation is very pronounced and strongly resembles cosmetic shadows on a woman. In the first days of taking it, my eyes hurt a little and I felt an ache in them. Intraocular pressure dropped to 13, which is normal for me.
Previously, they couldn’t bring down 20 with anything. Even laser iridectomy did not help. In the evening, the eyes became red, but there was no discomfort. I really like the drug, but for the price it can be replaced with a cheaper one, for example, glauprost.
