Miostat
Miostat, also known by its generic name carbachol, is an eye injection. It's a cholinergic agonist that works to help control the size of your pupil and lower your eye pressure. A healthcare professional will make sure you get the right dosage and inject the medication into your eye during eye surgery. Side effects can include blurred vision and eye pain.
What is Miostat (carbachol)?
What is Miostat (carbachol) used for?
- Making the pupils smaller (miosis) during eye surgery to control eye pressure
How Miostat (carbachol) works
Miostat (carbachol) is a cholinergic agonist. It works by tightening certain muscles in the eye. This makes the pupil (black middle part of the eye) smaller. The medication also helps lower eye pressure after eye surgery by helping fluid drain from the eye.
Drug facts
Side effects of Miostat (carbachol)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
See Risks and Warnings.
Less Common Side Effects
- Eye injury after cataract surgery
- Cloudy cornea
- Flushing
- Sweating
- Upset stomach
- Stomach or bladder cramps
- Headache
Miostat (carbachol) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serious eye injury (such as retinal detachment): flashes of light in your vision, gray or black spots in your vision, dimming of your vision, eye floaters
The following Miostat (carbachol) side effects have also been reported
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 as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Veil or curtain appearing across part of vision
Symptoms of too much medicine being absorbed into the body
Diarrhea, stomach cramps or pain, or vomiting
fainting
flushing or redness of face
frequent urge to urinate
increased sweating
irregular heartbeat
shortness of breath, wheezing, or tightness in chest
unusual tiredness or weakness
watering of mouth
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:
More common
Blurred vision or change in near or distance vision
stinging or burning of the eye
Less common
Headache
irritation or redness of eyes
twitching of eyelids
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.
Pros and cons of Miostat (carbachol)
Pros
- Makes your pupil smaller within 2 to 5 minutes
- Might be used with other medications during your eye surgery
Cons
- Injected into the eye by an eye surgeon
- No lower-cost generic available; brand-name medication only
Pharmacist tips for Miostat (carbachol)
- Tell your care team if you have a latex allergy before your eye surgery. The stopper on the vial of Miostat (carbachol) contains natural rubber (latex), which can lead to an allergic reaction if you have a latex allergy.
- Avoid driving after your eye procedure. It might be a good idea to have someone help drive you home. Miostat (carbachol) and possibly other medications that are placed into your eye for your procedure can affect your eyesight afterwards. For example, your vision might not be clear after your eye procedure.
- Contact your eye specialist if you experience eye pain, eye inflammation, or concerning vision changes after your surgery.
Common questions about Miostat (carbachol)
Miostat (carbachol) helps make the pupil smaller within 2 to 5 minutes of the injection. And the pressure in the eye goes down within the first 24 hours after the eye surgery.
The effects of Miostat (carbachol) last for up to 24 hours for most people. During this time, the pressure in your eye will be lower and your pupil will look small.
Both Miostat (carbachol) and Miochol (acetylcholine chloride) are eye injections that are given during cataract surgery. They both work to make the pupil smaller. But the effects of Miostat (carbachol) last longer than Miochol (acetylcholine chloride). Your eye specialist will decide which medication is most appropriate for you.
No. Miostat (carbachol) is FDA approved for use during eye surgery only. Discuss with your optometrist or ophthalmologist about your treatment options if you have glaucoma.
Miostat (carbachol) is used during certain eye surgeries, including cataract surgeries. The medication makes the pupil smaller, which helps lower the pressure in the eye(s) after the surgery.
No. Miostat (carbachol) is only available as an injection into the eye that you get during eye surgery.
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Risks and warnings for Miostat (carbachol)
Miostat (carbachol) 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.
Caution with certain medical conditions
- Risk factors: Heart failure | Asthma | Stomach ulcer | Hyperactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) | Spasm in the digestive tract | Blockage of the urinary tract | Parkinson's disease
Miostat (carbachol) can cause various problems if you have certain medical conditions. Before any eye surgery, it's important to tell your eye specialist about all of your medical conditions so they can make sure Miostat (carbachol) is safe for you.
Latex allergy
The stopper on the vial containing Miostat (carbachol) has latex in it. Make sure to tell your care team before surgery if you have a latex allergy. Get medical help right away if you experience hives, swelling in your face or throat, or trouble breathing.
Miostat (carbachol) dosage
Typical dosage for Miostat (carbachol)
Miostat (carbachol) is given by trained healthcare professionals in a hospital setting only. The healthcare professional will inject a small amount of medication into the eye during eye surgery.
Interactions between Miostat (carbachol) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
