(BRO-leen)
propamidine isethionate
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Brolene.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor or pharmacist has weighed the risks of you using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Brolene is used for
Brolene is a type of antibiotic used to treat eye infections.
Your doctor, however, may recommend Brolene for another purpose.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about why it has been recommended to you.
Before you use it
When you must not use it
Do not use Brolene when you are wearing soft or gas-permeable contact lenses.
Do not use Brolene if you are allergic to it or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include skin rash, itching, shortness of breath or swelling of the face, lips or tongue, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
Do not use it after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.
If you use it after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
Do not use it if the packaging is damaged or shows signs of tampering.
Before you use it
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergies to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergies to other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if Brolene will be used in infants.
Brolene should not be used in infants except on medical advice.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss the risks and benefits of using it if you are pregnant.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
It is not known whether Brolene passes into breast milk. Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss the risks and benefits of using it if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you use Brolene.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food store.
Some medicines may be affected by Brolene, or may affect how well it works. You may need to use different amounts of your medicine, or take different medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while using Brolene.
How to use it
How much to use
The standard dose for Brolene is one to two drops three to four times a day.
Your doctor may have recommended a different dose.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure of the correct dose for you.
They will tell you exactly how much to use.
Follow the instructions they give you.
If you use the wrong dose, Brolene may not work as well and your problem may not improve.
How to use it
It is best to clean the eye with either saline solution or water that has previously been boiled
Wash your hands
Tilt your head backwards
Pull down on the lower eyelid
Put one or two drops inside the lower eyelid without touching the nozzle to your eye or eyelid
Close your eye and wipe away any excess drops with a clean tissue
Replace cap immediately
When to use it
If you are not sure when to use it, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How long to use it
If there is no improvement after using Brolene within 24-48 hours, or if the infection has not cleared completely after using Brolene for 7 days, discontinue use and see your doctor. Brolene should not be used for more than a week at a time, unless recommended by a doctor.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure how long to use the medicine.
If you forget to use it
If you forget to use Brolene, put some in as soon as you remember and then go on as before.
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and use the next dose when you are meant to.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering when to use your medicine, ask your pharmacist for hints.
If you use too much (overdose)
Telephone your doctor, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have used too much Brolene.
While you are using it
Things you must do
Tell all the doctors, optometrists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are using Brolene.
If vision is disturbed or symptoms become worse during therapy, discontinue use and see your doctor.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are using Brolene.
If you plan to have surgery that needs a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using this medicine.
If you become pregnant while using Brolene, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Things you must not do
Do not use more than the recommended dose unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you to.
To avoid passing on the infection, do not share this medicine with anyone else.
Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Brolene affects your vision. Sometimes blurring of vision can occur. Do not drive or operate machinery until your vision is clear.
If you continue to have problems seeing clearly, stop using Brolene and see your doctor.
Side effects
All medicines have some unwanted side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. Your doctor or pharmacist has weighed the risks of using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using Brolene.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
skin troubles such as a rash or itching around the eyes
eyes getting redder
These are mild side effects of this medicine and are usually short-lived.
If you experience eye pain or if irritation occurs, in the form of a stinging or burning sensation, stop using Brolene and tell your doctor immediately.
If any of the following happen, stop using this medicine and tell your doctor immediately, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
These are very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious allergic reaction to Brolene. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
These side effects are very rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may occur in some consumers.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
After using it
If you have any queries about any aspect of your medicine, or any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.
Storage
Keep the medicine in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom, near a sink, or on a windowsill.
Do not leave it in the car.
Heat and damp can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
Brolene should be discarded 4 weeks after first opening, because of the risk of contamination.
If your doctor or pharmacist tells you to stop using Brolene, or the medicine has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that is left over.
Return any unused medicine to your pharmacist.
Product description
What it looks like
Brolene Eye Drops are a colourless solution available in 10mL bottles.
Ingredients
Active Ingredient:
Propamidine isethionate 1mg/mL
Inactive Ingredients:
ammonium chloride
benzalkonium chloride
sodium chloride
water
sodium hydroxide.
Brolene does not contain gluten, sucrose, lactose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
