I have looked everywhere and only have gotten expiration date of Timolol Maleate not patency of eye drops once opened in the UK... they say good only for 4 weeks once opened in multidose container... have e-mailed the company and my Pharmacist said it is good for 3 months... but unable to verify this info... waiting for MD from this site to answer my question as I asked and submitted pay pal payment don't know when I will get my answer... can anyone help with this question not in the leaflet that comes with the eye drops... Thank you
How long does the potency of Timolol Maleate Opthalmic eye drops last once you open the container?
Question posted by janiceswg on 16 June 2013
Last updated on 18 June 2013
3 Answers
DzooBaby
18 June 2013
I will see if I can find something written for you. I worked in an ophthalmologists office and surgical center for years as an ophthalmic RN and we kept drops, once opened, for 30 days only (which would fall in with the 4weeks that you found documented). This wasnt because they were no longer potent or that the strength changes-evaporation shouldnt happen that fast if you are only having the cap off long enough to give the drop. It is because of the possibility of bacterial contamination that we tossed them for a new bottle. This was our office/surgical suite policy. I will look at some of my resources to see if I can find something written so that you can see it in "black and white".
DzooBaby
18 June 2013
I'm not sure, as well, where you found an MD on this site to answer your question. There are no MD's affiliated with this site. The information given here is from mostly laymen, sometimes professionals, like kaismama and myself, who take the time to write. We are certainly not paid to answer!
DzooBaby
18 June 2013
Arrow Pharmaceuticals from New Zealand concurs with the dating when opened and discard four weeks later. I have also been reading to discard for any color change from clear. Arrow sites that the four weeks rule is as I said, four weeks is as long as the preservative will prevent overgrowth of bacteria:
After using ARROW - TIMOLOL
Storage
Store ARROW – TIMOLOL eye drops in a cool place, below 25
o
C and protect from light.
Keep the bottle in its outer carton to avoid exposure to light. Discard the eye drops 4 weeks
after opening.
Keep ARROW - TIMOLOL where children cannot reach it.
Disposal
Write the date on the bottle when you open the eye drops and throw out any remaining
solution after four weeks. Eye drops contain a preservative which helps prevent germs
growing in the solution for the first four weeks after opening the bottle. After this time there is
a greater risk that the drops may become contaminated and cause an eye infection. A new
bottle should be opened.
If your doctor tells you to stop using the eye drops or they have passed their expiry date, ask
your pharmacist what to do with any remaining solution.
Supplier
ARROW – TIMOLOL is distributed in New Zealand by:
Arrow Pharmaceuticals (NZ) Limited
33a Normanby Road, Mt. Eden
Auckland, New Zealand.
Net Dr from the UK writes the same:
Xalacom eye drops (which is a combo of timolol and latanoprost) should be stored in a refrigerator at 2-8°C before opening. After opening the eye drops may kept outside of the fridge, but do not store them above 25°C. Keep the container in the outer carton in order to protect from light.
Xalacom eye drops are sterile until opened. The bottles contain a preservative that helps keep the eye drops sterile once they are in use. However, any medicine remaining in the bottle after it has been open for four weeks or more is likely to be contaminated with germs and should no longer be used. Dispose of carefully, preferably by returning to your pharmacy. You may find it helpful to write the date of first opening on the packet.
Read more: copy and paste www.netdoctor.co.uk/seniors-health/medicines/xalacom-eye-drops.html
janiceswg
18 June 2013
Thank you for your help ..the Custimer Service Rep from Sandez Inc which is now taken over Falcon Pharmaceuticals returned my call and said they checked with Falcon and they have nothing on file stating how longTimolol Maleate is patent for once the dispensing bottle is opened... I told him I found that quite inappopriate since most meds would have that on the label... ie Lantus Insulin only patent for use for 28 days once opened and needs to be discarded and new bottle use time is up on opend mutidose container... I contacted the FDA and told them that I wanted written verification some where that what my pharmicist told me was true since I could find no verification except on UK Site and they said Timolol Maleate Sol. multidose solution good for 4 weeks once opened... They (*FDA Rep)were surprised nothing was written either on their site or on the hand out leaflet,by the company but would look to see if they could find any info and get back to me... I am still waiting...
I really appreciate your Help... have asked for help from other people I used to work with RN's Surgical Tech... Pharmacist and so far we cannot find written documentation... once again much Thanks
Janice
DzooBaby
18 June 2013
yes, I looked and looked! I even checked some of the ophthalmology sites and all I could find was to toss them after 4 weeks but because of possible bacterial overgrowth not because of loss of patency. Keep us posted on what you find out!
kaismama
16 June 2013
If you're waiting for an MD to answer here, you may have a long wait, this is a community support group. What did you pay for? I hope you weren't gullible enough to pay to ask a question. The drug will have the same strength up to the expiration date on the bottle. The reason we don't use it for more then 3 mos after opening is because of the chance of contamination.
janiceswg
16 June 2013
I would like verification of your answer... where did you find the answer... I am a retired RN and CDE and have looked up many drugs, but could not find answer for patency of med once bottle is opened... only answer was from the UK and it said 4 weeks was patency of multidose containers once opened... expiration date on the bottle is for the drops in container that is sealed... once opened the patency is different because of air mixing in the bottle.etc..tell me where you got the info so I can verify your answer... I asked the question from this site from MD... but since most MD's only know what is in the PDR and I looked in there and it was not mentioned... appreciate your help,still send me verification of your answer.
janice
kaismama
16 June 2013
I've been an rn since 1969. Still working part time. I asked a pharmacist about eye gtts one time out of curiosity. How long they were good and that was my answer And even you would have been impressed with her credentials, she had her doctorate in pharmacy.
janiceswg
17 June 2013
Would your Pharmacist be willing to tell me where he or she got her answer... I will gladly go and look it up at that site... since I haven't been able to find a written answer anywhere, and the pharmacist I was dealing with also said she wasn't sure where her info came from but was sure she read it somewhere... I would like to see it written as I saiid verification only on UK site and they say 4 weeks once a multidose container is opened is how long the drug is patent... I appreciate your help... just want to find where this info is written and who wrote this info have also contacted FDA to see if they have info... Thank you
Janice
janiceswg
17 June 2013
Would you Pharmacist tell you where they got their info... I would gladly go look it up myself... I am waiting for info from Falcon Pharmaceutical... and now writing to the FDA to see if they can tell me where to find info.
Appreciate your help
Thank you
Janice
tonyplake
16 June 2013
Janice,
Don't play doctor with yourself and self medicate especially since you are dealing with glaucoma.
Throw away the eye drops you have and make an appointment with an eye doctor asap!
janiceswg
16 June 2013
I guess you mis understood what I am asking for... I am not playing Doctor this is a precription drug that I have been taking for a long time but now this Pharmacist is changing the length of time before refills saying the med is good for 3 months but she couldn't tell me where she got her info... I am a Retired RN with over 40 yrs experience and a CDE so I am doing clinical research to either verify what this Pharmicist is telling me..or not..I don't gamble with my eyes.I will call my own MD but from looking at the PDR and Leaflet from the Timolol it doesn't say..and other clinical site only UK site state Multidose container is only good for 4 weeks once opened... nothing from any USA sites.
Thank you for you help
janice
Related topics
eye conditions, timolol, expiration
Further information
- Timolol uses and safety info
- Timolol prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Timolol (detailed)
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