Upneeq
Do your upper eyelids sag, making you look tired? Now you can lift up those eyelids with Upneeq (oxymetalozine).
What is Upneeq (oxymetalozine)?
Upneeq (oxymetalozine) is a new prescription-strength eye drop now available that helps open up your eyes. Upneeq (oxymetalozine) is designed to treat low-lying lids, a condition called acquired blepharoptosis. It’s perfect if you have upper eyelids that feel or look heavy or sag. Upneeq (oxymetalozine) will raise your eyelids, making you look more rested and refreshed.
Why do my eyelids look low?
Your upper eyelids tend to move down slowly over time. This can make you look tired or sleepy and is called low-lying lids or acquired blepharoptosis. It affects the way you look to others and the way you see things. Low-lying lids usually occur as you age and is more commonly seen as you age. In fact, low-lying lids are seen in millions of people older than 40, but less than 15% of these people have been diagnosed. And even a smaller percentage have been treated. Low-lying lids usually develop when the muscles in your eyelids get weak and stretch over time. This causes your upper eyelid to droop. Low-lying lids can also be caused by cataract surgery, contact lens use, or an underlying medical condition. Underlying medical conditions include a history of a previous stroke or brain aneurysm, myasthenia gravis, Horner syndrome, eye infection, inability to move your eye muscles, and tumors.
What are the effects of low-lying lids?
Other than making you look tired, low-lying lids can have other effects. You low upper eyelid can block your vision. This can interfere with many daily functions like reading, driving, looking up, and using a computer or your phone.
How does Upneeq (oxymetalozine) work?
The active ingredient in Upneeq (oxymetalozine) stimulates a muscle that raises your upper eyelids. This muscle is called Müller’s muscle. You’ll see a difference in about 15 minutes after applying Upneeq (oxymetalozine). Your lift will last about eight hours.
How do I apply Upneeq (oxymetalozine)?
Upneeq (oxymetalozine) comes in a box of 45 single use vials. Cut open the foil wrapper with a pair of scissors (this makes it child-proof). Then apply one drop of Upneeq (oxymetalozine) into each eye. Next close your eyes and tilt your head back. With your eyes closed, move your eye in all four directions for about 30 seconds. This will help the Upneeq (oxymetalozine) spread over the surface of your eyes. Don’t let the vials touch your eye or other surfaces, otherwise you can get contamination or an eye infection. Also, don’t store and re-use the vials for the same reasons.
If you wear contact lenses, remove them before applying Upneeq (oxymetalozine). Reinsert your contact lenses at least 15 minutes after you apply Upneeq (oxymetalozine). If you use other eye drops, wait 15 minutes between applying Upneeq (oxymetalozine) and your other eye drops.
You can store Upneeq (oxymetalozine) at room temperature. Do not refrigerate Upneeq (oxymetalozine) and do not expose Upneeq (oxymetalozine) to high temperatures.
Is Upneeq (oxymetalozine) safe?
Upneeq (oxymetalozine) is well-tolerated and very safe. Side effects that occur 1-5 % of the time include eye inflammation, eye redness, dry eye, blurred vision, pain at the site of the drop, eye irritation, and headache.
Who shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine)?
Upneeq (oxymetalozine) hasn’t been studied in women who are pregnant, breast feeding, or trying to become pregnant. Therefore, if you are pregnant, breast feeding, or trying to become pregnant, you should wait until you’re done breast feeding before using Upneeq (oxymetalozine).
The active ingredient in Upneeq (oxymetalozine) is a type of medication called an alpha-adrenergic agonist. This can affect your blood pressure, so let Dr. Alex know if you have heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, or if you get faint when standing up quickly. If you take another alpha-adrenergic agonist (which are used to treat conditions such as abnormal blood pressure or an enlarged prostate), you shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine). Also, if you take other medications to treat high blood pressure or an abnormal heartbeat (such as beta-blocker), you shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine).
Low-lying eyelids most commonly occur naturally over time. But low-lying lids can also be caused by cataract surgery, contact lens use, or an underlying medical condition. Underlying medical conditions include a history of a previous stroke or brain aneurysm, myasthenia gravis, Horner syndrome, eye infection, inability to move your eye muscles, and tumors. You shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine) if you have any of these conditions.
You shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine) if you have a condition such as Sjogren’s syndrome that causes dryness in the eyes or mouth since Upneeq (oxymetalozine) may make these symptoms worse.
You also shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine) if you have a condition that restricts blood flow to your brain or heart.
Upneeq (oxymetalozine) can increase the pressure in your eyes from buildup of fluid. Normally this isn’t an issue, but if you have narrow-angle glaucoma you shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine).
Upneeq (oxymetalozine) can interfere with the uptake of certain antidepressant medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors. So you shouldn’t use Upneeq (oxymetalozine) if you take one of these medications.