Artelac Nighttime is designed for application only at night and is to be used just before going to bed. The steps involved in the application are the following:
- Clean Your Hands: Before using any kind of eye drops always clean your hands first as these will be applied to the sensitive part of the body and no bacteria should be introduced into the eyes.
- Tilt Your Head Back: Then head is tilted back slightly while the eyes look up and the lower eyelid is pulled down to make a pocket.
- Apply the Drops: Take the dropper and squeeze it over the eye targeting a space between a lower eyelid in the eye and the eyeball and place 1-2 drops Artelac Nightime.
- Close Your Eyes: Afterwards, the patient gently closes her eyes to facilitate the spreading of the droplet over the entire eye surface. The hardware is also advised to be blinked several times so that the wetting agent covers the eyeball as a whole.
Artelac Nighttime is primarily designed to act as a lubricant, which restores moisture to the eye while reducing the common symptom of dry eye disease. Here is how it works:
- Hydration: The principal components, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose HPMC and macrogol glycerol hydroxystearate, spread a slick, thick film on the eye which works to keep the surfaces of the eyes moist. In other words, the eye feels less dry and less irritated from burning or stinging due to dry eyes.
- Protective Barrier: Artelac Nighttime in addition creates a barrier to the cornea – meaning the clear outer covering of the eyeball to protect it from any further irritant from the environment such as dust, wind or air-conditioning. This can also help with mechanical forces caused by blinking and contact lens wear.
•No Preservatives, Ever!: The lack of any preservative in Artelac Nighttime is a great benefit to users with sensitive eyes and those who are likely to be using the eye drops in a more liberal dosing and, thus, frequent drops.
Consider the following warnings and precautions prior to using Artelac Nighttime:
- Seek the Advice of Healthcare Personnel: Those with a background of eye infections or diseases, or other related problems should use Artelac Nighttime only after approval from your physician.
- Prevent Contamination: Make sure that the tip of the container does not come into contact with any surface, including the eye, fingers or other items.
• Not for Acute or Severe Eye Conditions: Artelac Nighttime is prescribed for the patients who experience mild to moderate symptoms of dry eye disease.
Ophthalmic Medications:
Topical eye drops containing antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin) or anti-glaucoma medications (e.g., latanoprost, timolol) may interact with Artelac Nighttime. The combination of multiple eye drops could affect the absorption of each product, reducing efficacy. It’s recommended to wait at least 5-10 minutes between applying different eye drops to allow the first medication to absorb properly.
Preservatives:
Other preservatives in other eye drops may react with the preservatives in Artelac Nighttime, hence causing irritation or allergic reactions. It is wise to check other ophthalmic products you may be using about their preservatives.
Contact Lenses:
Artelac Nighttime is typically safe to wear with contact lenses. However, if you have other eye drops or ointments that are prescribed (contact lens disinfecting solutions, for example), you might encounter some compatibility problems. The drops or ointment could inhibit the effectiveness of the lubricant or irritate the eyes.
Other Eye Lubricants:
Combining several eye lubricants such as gels or ointments may cause a thick build-up on the eye and result in eye irritation or blurred vision.
Note: Consult a healthcare provider before using Artelac Nighttime with other eye treatments as it may cause some interaction.
Artelac Nighttime is mostly advised to be used once a day at bedtime but its dosage and frequency might differ depending on the user’s individual needs and level of dry eye symptoms. The directions on the product or the directions of a healthcare professional regarding dosage should be strictly adhered to.