Visine® is a brand of eye drops produced by Pfizer Inc.

Visine® Original

The active ingredient in the original Visine® formulation is tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride which is a vasoconstrictor, and therefore constricts the eye's superficial blood vessels to "get the red out", as claimed in Pfizer's advertising^*.

Administration

As with other eye drops, Visine® is administered topically with 1 to 2 drops applied to the affected eye(s) up to 4 times daily .

Adverse effects

• Reducing the blood supply to the eye can prevent, or at least prolong, the healing cycle. Thus, the use of Visine® and other similar products is not helpful in healing the eyes .

• Those using Visine® Original frequently report stinging and burning upon applicationSkilling FC Jr, Weaver TA, Kato KP, Ford JG, Dussia EM. "Effects of two eye drop products on computer users with subjective ocular discomfort." Optometry. 2005 Jan;76(1):47-54. PMID 15682562..

• Although the use of Visine® as a poison to induce diarrhea has been discounted as an urban legend^*, systemic complications have been reported as a result of poisoning and accidental ingestionDaggy A, Kaplan R, Roberge R, Akhtar J. "Pediatric Visine (tetrahydrozoline) ingestion: case report and review of imidazoline toxicity." Vet Hum Toxicol. 2003 Aug;45(4):210-2. PMID 12882493.Tobias JD. "Central nervous system depression following accidental ingestion of Visine eye drops." Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1996 Oct;35(10):539-40. PMID 8902333.Lev R, Clark RF. "Visine overdose: case report of an adult with hemodynamic compromise." J Emerg Med. 1995 Sep-Oct;13(5):649-52. PMID 8530784..

References

External link

• Pfizer's Visine webpage

Ophthalmology | Pfizer brands