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Save on XALATAN, and receive information and support from Vision Matters™. Call 1-800-711-2712 to register.
Learn more about Vision Matters™

Your doctor is the best source of information about eye pressure and glaucoma. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about XALATAN or your eye health.

Questions About XALATAN & High Eye Pressure

Once my eye pressure is under control, can I stop using XALATAN?
Don't stop using XALATAN once your eye pressure is under control unless told to by your eye doctor. It’s important that you continue to keep your eye pressure down. Daily use of XALATAN can help. Learn more about how XALATAN works.

Can my glaucoma be cured?
Glaucoma is a long-term disease. It has no known cure. No treatment can reverse vision loss that has already occurred. But studies show eye pressure-lowering drugs may help slow the disease. Be sure to schedule regular visits to your doctor so your eye pressure can be watched. Follow-up treatment is important because glaucoma can get worse without your knowing it. Remember, you need to be an active player in your health care. Keeping your eye pressure under control is only possible with your help.

How do I know if my eye drops are working?
High eye pressure and glaucoma usually have no obvious symptoms in early stages. That means you may not notice any change when you use XALATAN. But that doesn't mean it isn't working to lower your eye pressure.

Your eye doctor will probably check your eye pressure after you have started using XALATAN. If your eye pressure has dropped, the drug is working. Your doctor will ask you to come in for regular checkups every 3 to 6 months to make sure XALATAN continues to reduce your eye pressure. Learn more about how XALATAN works.

Questions About Using XALATAN

How do I use XALATAN?
Place 1 drop in each affected eye every evening. Instructions on how to use XALATAN are here.

How should I store XALATAN?
Refrigerate XALATAN until you open it. Once opened, your prescription XALATAN may be stored at room temperature (up to 77°F) for 6 weeks.

What should I do if I forget to use my XALATAN?
If you forget to use XALATAN 1 day, apply the next eye drop as usual the next day. Don't try to catch up by using 2 drops the next day.

I use several different eye drop medicines. Can I put them all in at the same time?
No. You should generally wait at least 5 minutes between using XALATAN and another eye drop. As always, please talk to your doctor. Instructions on how to use XALATAN are here.

I wear contacts. Do I need to take them out before I put the drops of XALATAN in?
Yes, you do. You should also wait 15 minutes after you put in the eye drop before you replace the contact lens in that eye. Instructions on how to use XALATAN are here.

Can I buy more than 1 bottle of XALATAN at a time, so I don't have to go back to the pharmacy every month?
Yes. XALATAN is available in a 3-bottle multi-pack.

Many pharmacies will give you a discount when you buy it this way. It may also lower your insurance co-pay expense by requiring only 1 co-pay (instead of 3). Check with your insurance provider.

Questions About Staying on XALATAN

What does it mean now that XALATAN has lost its exclusivity?

Since March of 2011, other companies besides Pfizer Inc, the current maker of XALATAN, are able to manufacture a generic version of XALATAN using the main ingredient. If XALATAN has worked to reduce your high eye pressure, and you would like to continue taking XALATAN, talk to your doctor about writing your prescription for XALATAN only—no substitutions.

What questions should I ask my doctor to help make an informed decision about my treatment?

Untreated high eye pressure may lead to glaucoma. Once the damage is done, it can’t be reversed. Your doctor prescribed XALATAN because with over 14 years of clinical experience and an established safety profile, it’s been proven to control high eye pressure.

Talk to your doctor—get all the facts—be informed!

If I want XALATAN how can I ensure that the pharmacy doesn’t fill my prescription or refill with a generic substitute?

When you receive your prescription at the pharmacy or through mail-order, be sure that the bottle says “XALATAN” – the medication that you and your doctor decided was right for you. If you receive the generic substitute from your pharmacy, talk to your pharmacist or doctor immediately about your options.

How can I continue to receive XALATAN?

If XALATAN has worked to reduce your high eye pressure, and you would like to continue taking XALATAN, talk to your doctor about making sure he or she writes your prescription for XALATAN only—no substitutions.

XALATAN users can get the XALATAN $4 Co-Pay Value Card* (if eligible) by signing up for Vision Matters™—a free program just for XALATAN users. Patients who have been prescribed XALATAN can sign up for Vision Matters by calling 1-800-711-2712. You’ll receive your free welcome kit, which includes the exclusive XALATAN $4 Co-Pay Card and information about XALATAN.

With the exclusive XALATAN $4 Co-Pay Value Card, XALATAN helps you save up to $60 per month off your co-pay or out-of-pocket costs on each refill through 12/31/2013.* See terms and conditions here.

XALATAN $4 Savings Offer
6501 Weston Parkway, Suite 370
Cary, NC 27513

*This card is not health insurance and is only accepted at participating pharmacies. No membership fees apply. Card guarantees up to $60 per month off your co-pay through 12/31/2013.

Questions About Possible Side Effects With XALATAN

Are there side effects while using XALATAN?

Like all medicines, XALATAN can have side effects. They are usually mild and tolerable. The most common ones are blurred vision, burning and stinging, eye redness, the feeling that something is in the eye, eye itching, and irritation of the clear front part of the eye. In trials lasting 6 months, these were reported in 5% to 15% of the patients.

What about eye color changes?

XALATAN can cause changes in eye color. The iris, which is the colored part of the eye, may darken. This is due to an increase of brown color. These changes may be more noticeable in patients with more than 1 color in their eyes (such as green-brown or blue-brown). Also, XALATAN can cause darkening of the eyelid and the eyelashes. It also can increase eyelash growth in the treated eye. Color changes can increase while using XALATAN. Eye color changes are likely to be permanent. In clinical studies, color changes did not increase after people stopped using XALATAN.