What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Using Travoprost?
Talk with your healthcare provider prior to using this medication if you:
- Have an inflammatory eye condition, such as iritis or uveitis
- Have any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives
- Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Are breastfeeding.
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Travoprost belongs to a class of medications known as prostaglandins. It works by opening the channels that allow fluid to leave the eye, helping the excess fluid to drain from the eye more easily. By reducing eye pressure, travoprost can help prevent damage to the optic nerve (and the vision loss that accompanies such damage) caused by high eye pressure.
When and How to Take Travoprost
Some general considerations for when and how to take travoprost include the following:
- The medication comes in the form of an eyedrop. It is usually taken once a day in the evening.
- If you use other eyedrops, make sure to separate travoprost and your other eyedrops by at least five minutes.
- If you wear contacts, remove them before using the medication and wait at least 15 minutes before putting them back in.
- Always wash your hands thoroughly before using travoprost.
- Gently pull your lower eyelid down with a finger (most people find that their middle fingers work best) to create a small pocket. Without actually touching the dropper to the eye, squeeze the bottle to place one drop into the lower eyelid.
- Keep the bottle free of contamination by avoiding touching the tip to anything, including your eye, hands, or any surfaces.
- For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Travoprost will not work if you stop taking it.
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