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Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to use
Viscotears. It contains important information. Keep the
leaflet in a safe place because you may want to read it again.
Do not share these eye drops with anyone else just in case you
have an eye infection which you could pass on.
If you have any other questions, or if there is something you
don’t understand, please ask your pharmacist.
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side
effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or
pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What Viscotears is and what it’s used for
Viscotears contains the active ingredient, carbomer (polyacrylic
acid). Viscotears is used to make your eyes more comfortable
when they feel dry. It is one of a group of eye drops called
‘artificial tears’.
2. Things to consider before you start to use Viscotears
DO NOT use Viscotears if:
• If you are allergic to carbomer or any of the other ingredients
of this medicine (listed in section 6).
Take special care:
In children and adolescents aged to 18 years, the safety and
efficacy of Viscotears at the posology recommended in adults
has been established by clinical experience, but no clinical trial
data are available.
Warnings and precautions
• Only use Viscotears in your eye(s).
• If you have problems with your eyes apart from sore or dry
eyes talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start to use
Viscotears.
• If you experience eye pain, vision changes, irritation of the
eyes, persistent redness, or if the condition worsens or
persists, discontinue use and consult your doctor.
• If you are taking other medicines. Please, also read the
section “Using other medicines”.
Other medicines and Viscotears
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently
used or might use any other medicines.
If you are using other eye drop or eye ointment medicines,
wait at least 5 minutes between each medicine. Viscotears
should always be the last eye drops used.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be
pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or
pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Viscotears contains cetrimide
A preservative in Visoctears (cetrimide) may cause eye irritation
and is also known to discolour soft contact lenses.
If you wear contact lenses, you should remove them before
using Viscotears and wait at least 15 minutes before putting
your lenses back in.
Driving and using machines
Some people may find that their vision is blurred immediately
after using Viscotears. If affected, wait until your vision clears
before you drive or use machinery.
3. How to use Viscotears
If your doctor has prescribed Viscotears he/she will tell you how
and when to use it and the dose will be on the pharmacist’s
label.
The usual dosage is:
Adults (including the elderly): One drop in each affected eye,
three or four times a day.
Children and adolescents aged to 18 years:
The safety and efficacy of Viscotears in children and
adolescents at the posology recommended in adults has been
established by clinical experience, but no clinical trial data are
available.
If you are not sure ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How to use your eye drops
1. Wash your hands.
2. If you wear contact lenses, remove them before using the
drops and do not replace for at least 15 minutes.
3. Hold the tube vertically (see figure 1).
4. Tilt your head backwards (see figure 2).
5. Rest one hand on your cheek and gently pull down your
lower eye lid.
6. Look upwards.
7. Insert one drop by squeezing the tube gently (see figure 3).
8. Blink a few times to spread the liquid gel evenly over your eye.
9. Wipe away any excess gel from around the eyelids.
10. Repeat for your other eye if required.
NOTE: Do not touch your eye or the surrounding area with the
tip of the dropper as this may cause injury to the eye and
contaminate the gel.
If you use more Viscotears than you should, it is not
expected that you will suffer any side effects from this, however,
should you notice any problems you think are related, seek
medical attention. Follow the instructions carefully. If there is
anything you don’t understand, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Do not use Viscotears later than four weeks after first opening.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects,
although not everybody gets them.
You may experience the following reactions in your eyes:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10
people): blurred vision
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): eye
discomfort, eyelid crusting, eye irritation.
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): eye
swelling, eye pain, itchy eye, eye redness, increased tear
production.
Or, reactions in other parts of your body:
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): skin
inflammation.
Additional side effects from post-marketing experience that
have been reported for which the frequency is not known:
Allergic reactions (symptoms may include itching, redness,
swelling, or pain of the eye or redness, swelling or rash of the
skin around the eye).
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
This includes any side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can
also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at:
www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects you can
help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Viscotears
Keep out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store above 25°C.
Do not use the eye drops after the expiry date shown on the
tube (EXP). The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not use the eye drops for longer than one month after
opening.
If the gel becomes discoloured or shows any other signs of
deterioration, you should seek the advice of your doctor or
pharmacist, who will tell you what to do.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or
household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of
medicines no longer required. These measures will help to
protect the environment.
6. Further information
What Viscotears contains
The active ingredient is carbomer 980 2.0 mg per gram (0.2 %
w/w).
It also contains cetrimide, sorbitol, sodium hydroxide and water
for injections.
Viscotears 0.2% Liquid Gel
Leaflet revision date (ref) 10.07.2015
Viscotears is a registered trademark of Novartis AG.
If your doctor has prescribed Viscotears he/she will tell you how
and when to use it and the dose will be on the pharmacist’s
label.
The usual dosage is:
Adults (including the elderly): One drop in each affected eye,
three or four times a day.
Children and adolescents aged to 18 years:
The safety and efficacy of Viscotears in children and
adolescents at the posology recommended in adults has been
established by clinical experience, but no clinical trial data are
available.
If you are not sure ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How to use your eye drops
1. Wash your hands.
2. If you wear contact lenses, remove them before using the
drops and do not replace for at least 15 minutes.
3. Hold the tube vertically (see figure 1).
4. Tilt your head backwards (see figure 2).
5. Rest one hand on your cheek and gently pull down your
lower eye lid.
6. Look upwards.
7. Insert one drop by squeezing the tube gently (see figure 3).
8. Blink a few times to spread the liquid gel evenly over your eye.
9. Wipe away any excess gel from around the eyelids.
10. Repeat for your other eye if required.
NOTE: Do not touch your eye or the surrounding area with the
tip of the dropper as this may cause injury to the eye and
contaminate the gel.
If you use more Viscotears than you should, it is not
expected that you will suffer any side effects from this, however,
should you notice any problems you think are related, seek
medical attention. Follow the instructions carefully. If there is
anything you don’t understand, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Do not use Viscotears later than four weeks after first opening.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects,
although not everybody gets them.
You may experience the following reactions in your eyes:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10
people): blurred vision
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): eye
discomfort, eyelid crusting, eye irritation.
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): eye
swelling, eye pain, itchy eye, eye redness, increased tear
production.
Or, reactions in other parts of your body:
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): skin
inflammation.
Additional side effects from post-marketing experience that
have been reported for which the frequency is not known:
Allergic reactions (symptoms may include itching, redness,
swelling, or pain of the eye or redness, swelling or rash of the
skin around the eye).
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
This includes any side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can
also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at:
www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects you can
help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Viscotears
Keep out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store above 25°C.
Do not use the eye drops after the expiry date shown on the
tube (EXP). The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not use the eye drops for longer than one month after
opening.
If the gel becomes discoloured or shows any other signs of
deterioration, you should seek the advice of your doctor or
pharmacist, who will tell you what to do.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or
household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of
medicines no longer required. These measures will help to
protect the environment.
6. Further information
What Viscotears contains
The active ingredient is carbomer 980 2.0 mg per gram (0.2 %
w/w).
It also contains cetrimide, sorbitol, sodium hydroxide and water
for injections.
Viscotears 0.2% Liquid Gel
Leaflet revision date (ref) 10.07.2015
Viscotears is a registered trademark of Novartis AG.
