Carteolol helps lower pressure within the eye and treats glaucoma. It can be used by itself or together with other eye drops.
High pressure in the eye caused by ocular hypertension (high blood pressure inside the eye) or chronic open-angle glaucoma (the most common type of glaucoma)
Carteolol is a beta blocker that lowers the amount of fluid in the eye. When there is less fluid inside the eye, the eye pressure goes down.
Source:Â DailyMed
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Blurred vision
chest pain or discomfort
confusion
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
shortness of breath
slow or irregular heartbeat
sweating
unusual tiredness or weakness
Incidence not determined
Blue lips, fingernails, or skin
blurred, cloudy, or yellow vision
change in color vision
confusion
decreased urine output
decreased vision after sunset and before sunrise
difficult or labored breathing
difficulty seeing at night
dilated neck veins
discoloration of white part of eye
disturbed color perception
drainage from the eye
drooping upper eyelids
double vision
extreme fatigue
eye redness, irritation, pain, burning, or tearing
fast heartbeat
halos around lights
hoarseness
inability to speak
increase in blood flow to the whites of the eyes
increased sensitivity of eyes to sunlight
irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
irritation
joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
loss of vision
night blindness
noisy breathing
overbright appearance of lights
pain or tenderness around eyes and cheekbones
pounding or rapid pulse
rash
redness of skin
redness, swelling, and/or itching of eye and eyelid
seeing double
seizures
severe numbness, especially on one side of the face or body
severe or sudden headache
slurred speech
stuffy or runny nose
swelling of eyelids, face, fingers, lips, hands, feet, or lower legs
temporary blindness
tightness in chest
tiredness
troubled breathing
tunnel vision
unusual feeling in the eyes
weakness in arm and/or leg on one side of the body, sudden and severe
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Incidence not determined
Change in taste or bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
discouragement
feeling sad or empty
headache
irritability
lack of appetite
lack or loss of strength
loss of interest or pleasure
trouble concentrating
trouble sleeping
unable to sleep
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Good at treating high eye pressure
Can be combined with other eye drops if not working well enough on its own
Is cheaper than similar eye medications, even without insurance
Has more side effects than some of the other eye drops similar to it
Can cause temporary blurred vision when you first start using it - this could affect driving
Shouldn't be used if you have asthma, COPD, or other lung problems
You shouldn't take carteolol if you have chronic heart failure, second or third degree heart block, or sinus bradycardia (a chronically low heart rate).
Wash hands before putting carteolol drops in eyes. Don't touch the dropper tip with your eye or hands. If you wear contacts remove them and wait 15 minutes after using your drops to put them back in your eyes.
After placing a drop in the eye, close your eye and press one finger to the inner corner of your eye by the nose and press lightly for 1 minute. This helps make sure your eye absorbs the drop.
If you are using more than one drop of carteolol or more than one medication at the same time, wait 5 minutes between each drop.
Avoid driving and doing tasks that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how carteolol affects you.
Carteolol can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk factors: Diabetes
Beta blockers can cause people with diabetes to not notice symptoms of low blood sugar, except for sweating and dizziness. Very small amounts of carteolol are absorbed into your bloodstream, so this is very rare with beta blocker eye drops. Talk to your provider to see if you should monitor your blood sugar more closely if you are started on carteolol.
Beta blockers can cause people with an overactive thyroid to not recognize the signs of hyperthyroidism, such as a fast heart rate. Very small amounts of carteolol are absorbed into your bloodstream, so this is very rare with beta blocker eye drops. Make sure your provider knows if you have thyoid problems before starting carteolol.
Beta blockers can cause people to experience muscle weakness. This may cause you to have droopy eyelids. Talk to your provider if you start to have any type of muscle weakness after starting carteolol.
Risk factors: History of asthma | History of COPD | History of lung problems
Beta blocker medications like carteolol are usually not recommended for people with bronchospastic disease, like asthma and COPD, because it can cause difficulty breathing. Carteolol has a lower chance of causing breathing problems because very little is absorbed into your bloodstream, but make sure your provider knows if you have or have ever had any lung problems or conditions before starting it.
Risk factors: Congestive heart failure | Second or third degree heart block
In rare cases, some people developed heart failure while using carteolol. Talk to your provider if you notice swelling in your feet or ankles, if your pulse feels fast or irregular, or if you have shortness of breath when you lie down or exercise.
Carteolol is typically used as 1 drop in the affected eye(s) twice daily.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
By signing up, I agree to GoodRx's Terms and Privacy Policy, and to receive marketing messages from GoodRx.
Research prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.