Actually, I should have been more specific.... sorry.  I am using
Alphagan P.

   So the situation really is that I'm using Alphagan P and Xalatan
and have very red eyes.

   I talked to my pharmacist yesterday, but got no help there,
really.  I've brought this up to my doctor who wants to leave well
enough alone.... That is, the pressures are down, and my red eyes
don't bother him too much <g>.

   So, I'm looking around for something else I might be able to
suggest before pressing him on the issue.

                            Jack

Okay, here's the deal with Alphagan P.  When Alphagan (Brimonidine)
was initially introduced, it came out as a 0.2% solution preserved
with benzalkonium chloride, the same preservative in virtually every
other eyedrop.  While it's earlier cousin, Iopidine, had an almost 40%
allergy rate, Alphagan was no slouch, having nearly 25% of patients
complaining of allergy symptoms within the first year or two of use
(redness and itching, generally...independent of whether it worked on
one's IOP.  Usually it was quite effective).
    Later Allergan released Alphagan P and pulled the original off
the market.  Alphagan P had a lowered percentage (0.15%) and was now
preserved with Purite, a rather benign preservative that is less
irritating than Benzalkonium chloride.  Nevertheless, PLENTY of people
are still allergic to Alphagan P, and it has NOTHING to do with the
preservative, only the Brimonidine.  The allergy rate is somewhat
lower with the "P" version, maybe because the medication is at a lower
concentration.
    Bausch and Lomb has now released there own Brimonidine 0.2% in
generic form, so it is a fair bit cheaper than Alphagan P, but again,
now we're back to the original preservative at higher concentration.
So that's the skinny, for what it's worth.
Rick Cohn, MD
Glaucoma Specialist
Winter Park, FL