The Drug For Glaucoma

The Drug For Glaucoma

Give A Description Of The Drug For Glaucoma.
Answer:

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by a progressive form of optic nerve damage associated with raised intraocular tension.

Glaucoma is of two types, i.e. acute congestive glaucoma and chronic simple glaucoma.

Drugs Used In Acute Congestive Glaucoma

1. Osmotic agents: 20% mannitol IV, 50% glycerol orally
2. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Acetazolamide IV or orally
3. β blockers: 0.5% timolol topically
4. Mitotic: 2% pilocarpine topically
5. Prostaglandins: 0.005% Latanoprost topically.

Drugs for Glaucoma: Treatment Options and Mechanisms

Drugs Used In Chronic Simple Glaucoma

1. β blockers: 0.25% timolol, 0.25% betaxolol, 1% carteolol topically.
2. Prostaglandins: 0.005% latanoprost
3. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: 2% dorzolamide, brinzolamide topically, and acetazolamide orally
4. α adrenergic antagonists: 0.1% Dipivefrin and 1% apraclonidine topically
5. Mitotic: 0.5% pilocarpine topically.

• Osmotic agents, i.e. Mannitol and 50% glycerol draw fluid from the eye in circulation by osmotic effect and reduce intraocular pressure in acute congestive glaucoma.
• Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Acetazolamide inhibits carbonic anhydrase enzyme and decreases intraocular pressure by decreasing the formation of aqueous humor.
  In chronic simple glaucoma, acetazolamide should be given topically while in acute simple glaucoma, it is given as IV and orally.
• β adrenergic blockers: Topical non-selective β blocker is very commonly used in glaucoma because it lacks local anesthetic property; It does not affect the size of the pupil.
  Its duration of action is long; well tolerated and less expensive.

Glaucoma Medications: Types, Uses, and Side Effects

• Prostaglandins: Topical prostaglandins such as latanoprost, travoprost, and bimatoprost are used in initial therapy for open-angle glaucoma as they have a long duration of action.
  High efficacy and cause less systemic toxicity. They decrease intra-ocular pressure by facilitating uveoscleral outflow.
• Mitotic: Pilocarpine is used topically in the treatment of open-angle and acute congestive glaucoma. It causes drainage of aqueous humor and decreases intra-ocular pressure.
• α-adrenergic agonists: Apraclonidine decreases the formation of aqueous humor and decreases the intraocular pressure. Dipivefrine is another drug that penetrates the cornea, converts it into adrenaline, and acts on α1 and α2 and β receptors. When it acts on α1 and α2 receptors it reduces the aqueous secretion and decreases intraocular pressure. When it acts on β receptors, it increases uveoscleral outflow and trabecular outflow which decreases the intraocular pressure.