Minims Pilocarpine Nitrate (Pilocarpine Nitrate)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Minims Pilocarpine Nitrate Used For?
Minims Pilocarpine is an eye drop medication that contains pilocarpine nitrate, which belongs to a group of medicines called parasympathomimetics.
Primary Uses
This medication is commonly used at the end of an eye examination to return the size of your pupil back to normal. It’s also used to decrease pressure in the eye and help control glaucoma, a condition where the pressure of fluid in the eye may be dangerously high.
How It Works
Minims Pilocarpine works by allowing more fluid to flow out from within the eye, which helps reduce eye pressure and control glaucoma symptoms.
Good to know: This medicine has been specifically developed for use in the eye only and should not be swallowed or injected.
How to Take Minims Pilocarpine Nitrate
Your doctor will normally instill the drops into your eyes for you. If you need to apply the drops yourself, follow the detailed instructions provided by your healthcare provider.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is one or two drops instilled into the eye(s) as prescribed by your doctor. Remove soft contact lenses before applying drops and wait at least 15 minutes before replacing them. Each single-dose container should be thrown away immediately after use – do not save unused contents.
Application Steps
Wash hands thoroughly, shake container, break seal, hold upside down, pull down lower eyelid to form a pouch, tilt head back, apply drops without touching the eye, close eye without blinking, press finger against inside corner of eye for 2 minutes to prevent drainage.
Important: If you accidentally put more drops in your eyes than advised, immediately rinse your eyes with warm water.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Blurred vision and problems seeing clearly
- Pain, burning, stinging, itching, redness or watering of the eyes
- Local irritation or feeling of having something in the eye
- Poor night vision
- Short sightedness
- Headache or browache
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Increased sweating
- Muscle tremors
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Trouble breathing or wheezing
- Watering of the mouth
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
- Rash, itching or hives on the skin
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Minims Pilocarpine should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Take Minims Pilocarpine Nitrate
Do not use if you are allergic to pilocarpine or any ingredients, have eye inflammation (iritis, uveitis, iridocyclitis), pupillary block glaucoma, certain forms of secondary glaucoma, detached retina or conditions that predispose to retinal detachment, or while wearing soft contact lenses.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to other medicines, inflamed or damaged eyes, breathing difficulties or lung problems (like asthma), heart problems, stomach ulcer, urinary tract obstruction, Parkinson’s disease, or if you’re scheduled for eye surgery.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed before using this medication.
Children with Congenital Glaucoma: Special monitoring may be required if a child with primary congenital glaucoma has been prescribed Minims Pilocarpine.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Minims Pilocarpine and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medications you’re taking.
- Atropine and related medicines
- Cyclopentolate
- Belladonna alkaloids
- Other medicines or eye drops for glaucoma
Alcohol & Driving
Minims Pilocarpine can affect your vision and ability to perform certain activities safely.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or operate any machines until you know how Minims Pilocarpine affects you. The medication may cause blurred vision for a short period when instilled into the eye. Allow sufficient time to regain clear vision before driving or using machines.
Night Vision and Poor Light
Be especially careful at night and in poor light conditions. Minims Pilocarpine may cause difficulty adapting to the dark. Use caution when driving or performing hazardous tasks in poor lighting conditions.
Storage
Keep unopened eye drops in a refrigerator at 2-8°C where children cannot reach them. Do not freeze the eye drops or expose them to strong light. Discard each single dose unit and any remaining solution immediately after use.
Overdose Information
If you accidentally put more drops in your eyes than advised, immediately rinse your eyes with warm water. Accidental swallowing is unlikely to cause serious side effects due to the low content of pilocarpine nitrate. However, if an infant or young child may have swallowed any contents, immediately phone the Poisons Information Centre (in Australia phone 13 11 26) or contact your doctor, even if there are no signs of discomfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
The medication begins working shortly after application to return pupil size to normal after eye examinations and to reduce eye pressure in glaucoma treatment.
No, you must remove soft contact lenses before applying the drops and wait at least 15 minutes before replacing them.
Follow your doctor’s instructions for missed doses. Do not stop using the eye drops without talking to your doctor first, as your eye pressure may rise again and damage to your eye may occur.
Keep unopened eye drops in a refrigerator at 2-8°C where children cannot reach them. Do not freeze or expose to strong light. Discard each single dose unit immediately after use.
Be careful driving until you know how the medication affects you. It may cause blurred vision and difficulty adapting to darkness. Allow enough time to regain clear vision before driving.
Immediately rinse your eyes with warm water. Accidental swallowing is unlikely to cause serious problems, but contact the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia) if a child swallows any of the solution.
Check with your doctor before using this medication if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.