help! How is this dangerous to my baby?

[mad4mybaby]

Just put some eye drops in (not ones ive used before) and dont know why i looked at the box but it says dont use in pregnancy. Why? I didnt drink any and wasnt sure if this could actually get in blood stream from your eyes?? This isnt anything to worry about is it??

if you've used them once i doubt there is any risk. They just have to be ultra careful to protect themselves from litigation. Chack with the out of hours surgery if you want, ask the doc about the active ingredient but if you're worried don't use them again.

no I'm sure it's fine. I've been using eye drops every day and never thought to check the box! It's only your eyes anyway!

If you're worried contact your GP. I think lots of things like that say don't use in pregnancy to cover themselves as they don't really know what the effects could be as they obviously can't test their products on pregnant women! I wouldn't use them again, but I'm sure this once won't hurt.

mad4mybaby - what's the active ingredient and is there more info in the leaflet inside?

I think a lot of things say not to use in pregnancy simply because they haven't been tested on pregnant women not because they have been shown to be harmful, so I wouldn't worry too much.

That said, eye-drops can go into your intestines, certainly when I use them I get a bitter taste at the back of my throat. I think it may leak down through my sinus cavity.

I'm pretty sure that putting things in your eyes can get into the bloodstream because people sometimes put alcohol into their eyes instead of drinking it because it gets them drunk quicker.

However, a couple of drops of eye drops really isn't going to do anything!

I know when i went to the chemist at about 14 weeks pregnant to ask for eye drops they wouldnt give me anything. I had to go to the doctors and get a prescription. I had hypermellose (artificial tears) and something else for hayfever (although i cant find them and cant remember the name sorry). I would phone your out of hours doctors service and they will be able to check in their "special doctors book" if what you are taking is ok

Please do look up the active ingredient, just to check, so you can make an informed decision about whether to use them next time. But I'd doubt that a few drops would make any difference.

My favourite insane drug labelling is from some cough syrup - its active ingredient was molasses, with a bit of menthol to make it taste bad. And yup, it said, don't use if pregnant or breastfeeding.

I wear contacts every day, and use an all in one solution. Could this be bad for my baby? It must be equivilent of using the solution as eye drops...

Maybe I should at least get some saline to rinse them... but any possible damage has probably been done.

I would be v surprised if any contact lens solutions caused problems in pregnancy.

You can use this website to look up information on uk medicines:

emc.medicines.org.uk/

you just do a search on the active ingredient or tradename. The thing listed as PIL is the leaflet that is in the packet. The SPC is what doctors refer to so if you want more detail you can look at that.

As people have said, one dose is unlikely to be a problem but best to check and consult GP if you are concerned.

Upwind: if you just use saline you are putting yourself at risk of a nasty eye infection. Don't do it!

these were asda eye brightening drops. the ingredients are : purified water, hamamelis water, boric acid, borax, benzalkonium chloride, naphazoline nitrate, orange flower water, lavender water....

looks like boric acid is ok

curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=55391

I don't think these types of eye drops are registered as a medicine (it's the type of product that is considered 'borderline' so some are and some aren't depending on the type of therapeutic claims the company wants to make) and therefore unlikely to contain any ingredients that constitute any risk but, of course, check with your GP if unsure at all.

I think Upwind was only talking about rinsing her lenses in saline as opposed to storing. Rinsing would be fine.

Most eye drops are fine in pregnancy but pharmaceutical companies always protect themselves in this way.

The ingredient there which I don't like the sound of is naphazoline nitrate which constricts blood vessels to make the eye appear whiter, and tbh we don't recommend using this on a regular basis, pregnant or not! I would say it's highly unlikely any harm has been done to your baby m4mb, as I doubt that very much could have gotten into the bloodstream, somehow, but I really don't like the use of those drops either way.