Betimol Description

Just like you can have high blood pressure, you can also have intraocular pressure (IOP) in your eyes that could cause permanent damage to your sight if it goes undiagnosed or untreated. Regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist are important as a pre-emptive move to look for any changes that could affect your vision. Betimol can help decrease the pressure in your eye before damage occurs and you are faced with a damaged optic nerve or the presence of vision loss and a diagnosis of glaucoma.

Reducing Production of Aqueous Humor Can Spare Your Sight

Timolol, the active ingredient in Betimol, is absorbed and reaches the beta receptors that are responsible for producing aqueous humor, the fluid in your eyes. Betimol blocks these receptors in order to slow down the amount of fluid that is made which helps relieve the pressure building in your eye before permanent damage is done to your optic nerve, resulting in glaucoma. Usually glaucoma occurs in both eyes, but you may have one eye worse than the other. Betimol is not a cure for glaucoma, but it can help preserve the vision you have and stop any further damage.

Conditions Treated by Betimol

The clear fluid in your eye (aqueous humor) fills the front part of your eye and flows out through the pupil and is then absorbed into your bloodstream via a meshwork of drainage canals. As fluid enters your eye, it drains out in an even give and take system to maintain a proper pressure inside. If something changes and this fluid no longer drains fast enough, it can keep filling at its normal rate and slowly start building up pressure that can damage your optic nerve.

For most people, there are no symptoms of glaucoma until your visual acuity is affected and by then the disease can be fairly advanced. Those at risk for glaucoma are diabetics, anyone with a previous eye injury, if you have a family history of glaucoma, or you are older than 45 years of age (although it can happen at any age, it is more common in older adults).

Before Betimol is Prescribed

Betimol is absorbed throughout your body, so ask your doctor about the safety of using it while you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breast feeding. To determine if Betimol is right for you, tell your doctor about other medical conditions or allergies you have and list any OTC or Rx drugs you take, including herbal remedies and dietary or vitamin supplements. If you are diabetic, monitor your blood sugar as Betimol may hide certain symptoms that indicate your levels are low.

To help limit Betimol from being absorbed systemically, after instilling the drop(s) into 1 or both eyes, close your eyes and press the inside corner (nearest your nose) with your index finger and thumb for at least 2 minutes. That is how long it will take Betimol to be completely absorbed into your eye(s).

Betimol Precautions and Proper Use

Do not attempt to drive a vehicle, operate machinery, or perform any task that may be risky if your vision is impaired after instilling Betimol. Do not share Betimol with anyone as it could pose health risks depending on that person’s medical condition. If you are scheduled for any dental or surgical procedures, inform the medical staff that you are using Betimol.

Possible Side Effects of Betimol

• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Headache

Drugs Similar to Betimol

• Lumigan Eye Drops
• Xalatan Eye Drops
• Betoptic S