triamcinolone (ophthalmic)

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Pronunciation: trye am SIN oh lone off THAL mik

Brand: Triesence, Trivaris Intravitreal

What is the most important information I should know about triamcinolone ophthalmic?

You should not receive this medication if you are allergic to triamcinolone, or if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body.

Do not use triamcinolone if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

Before receiving triamcinolone ophthalmic, tell your doctor if you have any type of bacterial, fungal, or viral infection (including tuberculosis). Also tell your doctor if you have cataracts or glaucoma, herpes infection of your eye, diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, a thyroid disorder, myasthenia gravis, a stomach or intestinal disorder, or a history of recent heart attack.

Before you receive any vaccine, talk with the doctor who is treating you with triamcinolone ophthalmic. Some vaccines may not work as well or could cause harmful side effects during treatment with steroid medicine.

Steroids can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Call your doctor for preventive treatment if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles.

There are many other drugs that can interact with triamcinolone. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

What is triamcinolone ophthalmic?

Triamcinolone is a steroid. It prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.

Triamcinolone ophthalmic (for the eyes) is injected into the eye to treat inflammation caused by disease or injury. Triamcinolone ophthalmic is usually given after steroid eye drops have been used without successful treatment of symptoms.

Triamcinolone ophthalmic is also used during a certain type of eye surgery.

Triamcinolone ophthalmic may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving triamcinolone ophthalmic?

You should not receive this medication if you are allergic to triamcinolone, or if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body.

To make sure you can safely receive triamcinolone, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

  • herpes infection of your eye;
  • eye conditions such as cataract or glaucoma;
  • diabetes;
  • high blood pressure, congestive heart failure;
  • any type of bacterial, fungal, or viral infection (including tuberculosis);
  • a thyroid disorder;
  • a muscle disorder such as myasthenia gravis;
  • diverticulitis, stomach or intestinal ulcer, or recent stomach surgery; or
  • if you have recently had a heart attack.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not receive triamcinolone if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

Triamcinolone can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

This medication can decrease bone formation which could lead to osteoporosis, especially with long-term use. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of bone loss while receiving triamcinolone ophthalmic.

Steroids can affect growth in children. Talk with your doctor if you think your child is not growing at a normal rate while using this medication.

How is triamcinolone ophthalmic given?

Triamcinolone ophthalmic is given as an injection into your eye. Your doctor will use a medicine to numb your eye before giving you the injection. You will receive this injection in your doctor's office or other clinic setting.

For at least 30 minutes after your injection, your eyes will be checked periodically to make sure the injection has not caused any side effects.

Long-term use of steroids can cause harmful effects on the eyes, such as glaucoma or cataracts. If you receive triamcinolone ophthalmic for longer than 6 weeks, your doctor may want you to have regular eye exams.

Steroids can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to get sick from being around others who are ill, or from bacteria in a skin wound. Steroids can also slow the healing of skin wounds. Use caution to prevent illness, infection, or injury.

Your doctor may instruct you to limit your salt intake while you are receiving triamcinolone ophthalmic. You may also need to take potassium supplements. Follow your doctor's instructions.

This medication can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using triamcinolone.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your injection.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Since this medication is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid while receiving triamcinolone ophthalmic?

Do not receive a smallpox vaccine or any other "live" vaccine if you are being treated long-term with triamcinolone ophthalmic. Some vaccines may not work as well during treatment with steroid medicine at certain doses. Some vaccines may even cause dangerous side effects when used during steroid treatment. Before you receive any vaccine, talk with the doctor who is treating you with triamcinolone ophthalmic.

Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Call your doctor for preventive treatment if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles. These conditions can be serious or even fatal in people who are using steroids.

What are the possible side effects of triamcinolone ophthalmic?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

  • problems with your vision, pain behind your eyes, or seeing halos around lights;
  • eye swelling, redness, severe discomfort, crusting or drainage (may be signs of infection);
  • large red or purple spots on your skin;
  • fast or slow heart rate;
  • feeling short of breath, swelling in your hands or feet;
  • dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, uneven heartbeats, seizure);
  • severe dizziness or nausea;
  • severe depression, changes in mood or behavior, seizures (convulsions); or
  • severe pain in your upper stomach.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • mild eye discomfort;
  • headaches, back aches, weakness;
  • bloating, appetite changes, weight gain;
  • changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist), roundness in your face;
  • increased acne or facial hair;
  • menstrual problems (in women), impotence or loss of interest in sex (in men);
  • dry skin, thinning skin, changes in skin color;
  • bruising, sweating more than usual; or
  • any wound that will not heal.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect triamcinolone ophthalmic?

Many drugs can interact with triamcinolone. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

  • amphotericin B (Fungizone, AmBisome, Abelcet);
  • birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy;
  • a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
  • cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran);
  • cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune);
  • digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);
  • a diuretic (water pill);
  • insulin or an oral diabetes medication;
  • isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);
  • rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate), or rifapentine (Priftin);
  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), or telithromycin (Ketek);
  • an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);
  • aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), piroxicam (Feldene), and others;
  • heart or blood pressure medication such as diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), quinidine (Quin-G), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);
  • HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), efavirenz (Sustiva), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nevirapine (Viramune), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra), and others;
  • medications to treat dementia, such as donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), galantamine (Razadyne), tacrine (Cognex); or
  • seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), phenobarbital (Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), and others.

This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with triamcinolone. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor can provide more information about triamcinolone ophthalmic.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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