How long does combigan last

Combigan and Lumigan belong to different drug classes. A drug class is a group of medications that work in a similar way. Combigan belongs to the beta-blocker drug class. Lumigan belongs to the alpha-2 adrenergic agonist drug class. The Food and Drug Administration FDA has approved Combigan and Lumigan to treat increased eye pressure from open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension high pressure in the eye.

Combigan and Lumigan are also used for different age groups. Combigan is approved for use in adults as well as children ages 2 years and older. Lumigan is approved for use in adults as well as children ages 16 years and older. Combigan and Lumigan both contain drugs that reduce eye pressure. Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with each drug, or with both Combigan and Lumigan when taken individually.

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Combigan, with Lumigan, or with both drugs when taken individually.

The only condition both Combigan and Lumigan are used to treat is increased eye pressure from open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Researchers have looked at how well Combigan and Lumigan work together when compared to the use of Lumigan alone. After 12 weeks of use, eye pressure was:. According to estimates on GoodRx. Combigan and Lumigan are both brand-name drugs. There are two drugs that make up Combigan: brimonidine and timolol.

Both of these drugs work in different ways to decrease the amount of pressure in your eye. Brimonidine is a type of drug known as an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. Brimonidine works by reducing the level of fluid in the eye called aqueous humor. Brimonidine also causes the eye to increase drainage of the fluid, which can help decrease the pressure in the eye. Timolol is a type of drug known as a beta-blocker. As a result, the pressure in your eye decreases.

Combigan will begin to work to decrease eye pressure after you use the medication for the first time. Combigan stays in your system for about 7 hours. The drug may break down more slowly or quickly in different people. This means that Combigan may stay in your system for a longer or shorter time than 7 hours.

The drug should be used only if:. The eye contains fluid. When this fluid builds up, eye pressure increases. As the pressure in the eye rises, so does the risk for vision loss and eye damage. In severe cases, the results can be permanent. In glaucoma , your optic nerve may become damaged. The optic nerve helps your eyes and brain communicate with each other. The damage is due to a problem with the drainage in your eye.

Your body may have trouble getting rid of the excess eye fluid. The increased pressure may harm your optic nerve and in severe cases, it may slowly cause blindness. There are several types of glaucoma, but the main ones are open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common. But open-angle glaucoma can lead to the gradual loss of peripheral vision. With closed angle-glaucoma, pain and vision loss occur suddenly. This causes increased pressure in the eye. Clinical trials looked at people with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. They used either:. This means that the Combigan group had a larger decrease in eye pressure than the brimonidine or timolol group.

Eye pressure is described using a unit of measurement called millimeters of mercury mmHg. In another trial , people took either:.

Eye pressure was 1 mmHg to 2 mmHg higher in people using Combigan than in people using brimonidine with timolol. However, Combigan caused less severe sleepiness than brimonidine with timolol. Clinical trials looked at children ages 2 through 16 years who had increased eye pressure. They were given Combigan or brimonidine 0. Researchers found that Combigan was safe and effective to treat increased eye pressure in this age group. As with all medications, the cost of Combigan can vary.

To find current prices for Combigan in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx. Before approving coverage for Combigan, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug.

The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered. If you need financial support to pay for Combigan, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available. Allergan, the manufacturer of Combigan, offers a savings card. Combigan is not available in a generic form. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs. When you get Combigan from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle.

This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk with your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. Usually the pharmacy will label your medication with an expiration date.

There may also be an expiration date on your bottle of Combigan. Combigan eye drops do not need to be refrigerated. After opening your Combigan bottle, you should use it within 28 days because it can start to grow bacteria after this time. Bacteria can cause eye infections , which may be serious.

After 28 days have passed since you opened Combigan, you should dispose of the bottle and open a new one. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment.

This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Combigan comes in eye-drop form and works to treat your eye or eyes. But a small amount of it can be absorbed into your blood through your eye.

Once the drug is in your blood, Combigan can circulate throughout the rest of your body and reduce your blood pressure. However, Combigan should work to decrease your eye pressure. When your eye pressure is lower, you have less of a risk for developing long-term side effects from your condition, such as vision loss.

You can wear contact lenses during your Combigan treatment, but you should remove them before you use the drug. Combigan contains a preservative called benzalkonium chloride. This preservative helps prevent bacteria from growing in the bottle for about 28 days after you open it.

However, contact lenses can absorb the preservative. After each Combigan dose, wait at least 15 minutes before putting in your contacts. This should help prevent your contacts from absorbing the preservative. It depends on how your eyes react to Combigan.

In some people, Combigan may cause blurred vision, especially right after you put in the eye drops. Combigan may also cause fatigue a lack of energy or sleepiness, which can make driving dangerous. To learn more, talk with your doctor about side effects that you may experience after using Combigan. This helps prevent one eye medication from washing out the other. Combigan can interact with several other medications.

It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works.

Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. Below are examples of medications that can interact with Combigan.

Before taking Combigan, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use.

Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Combigan may decrease your blood pressure. This can be dangerous and cause blurry vision, dizziness, or fainting. Browse Answers. Medical disclaimer By submitting your question, you agree to be answered by email. Question Required. Email address Required. Enter a Valid email address.

Close Submit. Improved Dry Eye Drugs for and Beyond. Why am I experiencing an intense itchy eyelid? Why do my eyes hurt after I remove my contact lenses? Find an Ophthalmologist. Advanced Search. Free Newsletter Get ophthalmologist-reviewed tips and information about eye health and preserving your vision. Popular Questions. Loading, please wait This offer cannot be combined with any other programs, offers, or discounts, and may not be redeemed for cash. Allergan reserves the right to rescind, revoke, or amend this offer without notice at any time.

Warnings and Precautions: Severe respiratory reactions and cardiac reactions, including death due to difficulty breathing and rarely death in association with cardiac failure, have been reported in patients with asthma. Additionally, ophthalmic beta-blockers may impair compensatory tachycardia and increase risk of hypotension. Stimulation of the nervous system may be essential in individuals with diminished heart-pumping ability.

In patients without a history of cardiac failure, continued use of beta-blocking agents over a period of time can, in some cases, lead to cardiac failure. Patients may experience muscle weakness or fatigue. Ocular hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions 0. There have been reports of bacterial keratitis associated with the use of multiple-dose containers of topical ophthalmic products.

Beta-adrenergic receptor blockade impairs the ability of the heart to respond to general anesthesia in surgical procedures, and some patients have experienced protracted severe hypotension during anesthesia.

In patients undergoing elective surgery, gradual withdrawal of beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agents may be recommended. Drug interactions: Blood pressure drugs and drugs that are used to stimulate the heart in cases of heart failure also called cardiac glycosides may lower blood pressure.

CYP2D6 inhibitors may enhance the effect of beta-blockade within the body. Tricyclic antidepressants may reduce the ability of clonidine to lower blood pressure. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors a type of antidepressant drug may result in low blood pressure.