IOPIDINE 0.5% EYE DROPS FOR EYELID PTOSIS 👁

One of the side effects having your upper face injected with a botulinum toxin is Blepharoptosis or eyelid droop. It can be caused by poor injection technique or the product’s high dose reaching the levator palpebrae superioris muscle whose main function is a proper and full eyelid opening.

Although this side effect is not common, IOPIDINE 0.5% (apraclonidine 0.5 %) eye drops is a recommended therapy to treat eyelid droop resulting from administration of botulinum toxins A and B.

WHAT IS IOPIDINE 0.5%?

IOPIDINE 0.5% is a clear, colourless to pale yellow solution supplied in a pack containing a 5 ml plastic bottle with a screw cap.

IOPIDINE 0.5% contains the active substance Apraclonidine 5 mg/ml (as hydrochloride). The other ingredients are sodium chloride, sodium acetate trihydrate, benzalkonium chloride, hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide (to adjust pH) and purified water.

ABOUT APRACLONIDINE 

Apraclonidine is an alpha2-adrenergic agonist. It works by stimulating Muller muscles (the muscles that lifts the eyelid) which causes them to contract quickly elevating the upper eyelid by 1-3 mm.

LONGEVITY OF BLEPHAROPTOSIS AND RESPONSE TO A TREATMENT WITH IOPIDINE 0.5%

Response to IOPIDINE 0.5% should be used to predict how long the droopy eyelid will last:

If you respond to IOPIDINE 0.5% and the eye opens, the botox-induced droopiness will wear off in 4 to 6 weeks. 

If the eye does not respond to IOPIDINE 0.5%, then it is likely that the droopy lid will take 3 – 6 months to resolve.

ADMINISTRATION OF IOPIDINE 0.5%

Use IOPIDINE 0.5% 1-2 drops, 3 times per day.

Put in one drop at a time, tilt your head back, and close your eyes to make sure none of the eye-drop leaks out. 

Take into consideration all the potential side-effects of the drops that are listed below.

It is difficult to assess the length of time you will need to use the IOPIDINE 0.5% or if there will be a significant improvement at all.

POSSIBLE SIDE-EFFECTS OF USING IOPIDINE 0.5%

• Adrenaline-like symptoms like anxiety or heart pounding
• Eye irritation
• Eye dryness
• Dry mouth

If these symptoms occur, take some lubricating eye drops, lower the dose, switch the eye-drops, or stop the drops altogether.

NOTE: The eye drops will not help eyebrow ptosis. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT IOPIDINE 0.5%

Volume & Packaging: 5 ml bottle 

Storage Conditions: Keep out of the reach and sight of children. Do not refrigerate or freeze or store above 25°C. Keep the bottle tightly closed and in the outer carton. Do not use the drops after the expiry date (marked ‘Exp’) on the bottle and the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Stop using the bottle 4 weeks after first opening, to prevent infections.

IOPIDINE 0.5% is manufactured in Italy by Alcon, a Novartis company.