Like all medicines, timolol eye drops can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones.
Common side effects
There are things you can do to help cope with these common side effects of timolol eye drops:
Eye pain (burning, stinging, itching, redness or teary eyes)
Timolol eye drops can irritate your eyes, especially in the first 7 days of use. If it's so bad that you want to stop using them, talk to your doctor straight away. They may prescribe something different for you.
Swollen eyelids (blepharitis)
Soak a clean flannel or cotton wool in warm water (it might help to put a small amount of baby shampoo in the water) and place it on your eye for 10 minutes. Gently massage your eyelids for around 30 seconds. Clean your eyelids using cotton wool or a cotton bud.
Eye infection (conjunctivitis) – discharge from the eye
If your eye infection causes your eye(s) and lashes to become crusty, wiping them with cooled, boiled water can help. Boil some water and then let it cool down before using a clean cotton wool pad (1 piece for each eye) to gently rub your eyelashes to clean off crusts. Then hold a cold flannel on your eyes for a few minutes to cool them down.
You can also talk to your pharmacist and they may be able to suggest some treatment, such as other eye drops, to help you with these side effects.
Serious side effects
It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects when using timolol eye drops.
Call your doctor or call 111 straight away if:
- you have an irregular heartbeat – if this happens, do not use any more timolol eye drops
- You have shortness of breath or wheezing
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E now if:
- you have difficulty breathing
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- you get chest pain
Chest pain is a possible sign of a heart attack and needs to be checked out as soon as possible.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to timolol eye drops.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of timolol eye drops. For a full list, see the information leaflet inside your medicine packet.
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.