Glaucoma

The European Glaucoma Society (EGS) has officially unveiled the updated edition of its "Terminology and Guidelines for Glaucoma" at its 8th International Congress, held June 1?6 in Berlin.

Azarga (brinzolamide 1%/timolol 0.5% eye drops suspension; Alcon) and Cosopt (dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% eye drops solution; Merck) are equally efficacious in IOP-lowering capacity, however, Azarga offers greater ocular comfort, according to a study presented at this week?s European Glaucoma Society congress in Berlin, Germany.

Increased fruit and vegetable consumption reduces the risk of glaucoma, according to a study reported in the June 2008 issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

The diuretic agents, vasopressin-receptor antagonists, or vaptans, may have a use in the treatment of glaucoma, according to a study appearing in the 10 May, 2008 issue of The Lancet.

Attempts to control IOP through medical therapy tend to be first-line treatment although patient compliance and ocular surface integrity remain a concern

A proprietary miniature glaucoma device (Ex-PRESS; Optonol Ltd.) implanted under a partial-thickness scleral flap achieves significant decreases in intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma, according to Peter A. Netland, MD, PhD, reporting at the 2007 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Organizers of the first-ever World Glaucoma Day are calling the international effort a success, with "amazing achievements" that helped raise awareness about the dangers of glaucoma and the need for screenings and treatment.

The World Glaucoma Day inspired glaucoma specialists around the world to rally local support in order to undertake an enormous task: to reduce the number of people who are unnecessarily going blind from a treatable condition.

The current gold standard for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP), the Goldmann tonometer (GAT), has considerable flaws. Dr Goldmann designed his tonometer to provide accurate measurements in eyes with average corneas, but we now know that many corneas vary significantly from the "average".

The medical treatment of glaucoma is limited by patient adherence to medications. By the end of a year, approximately half of patients are not refilling their medications as directed, and physicians are not able to tell those who are from those who are not.

Studies have demonstrated that SLT is a safe and effective means of treatment, and comparable in these respects to ALT, but how does SLT fare against ALT in the long-term? It was our mission to establish this.

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) has been used for over 10 years to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) as well as ocular hypertension (OHT). Studies have demonstrated that SLT is a safe and effective means of treatment, and comparable in these respects to Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT), but how does SLT fare against ALT in the long-term? It was our mission to establish this.

Poor health literacy is contributing to disease progression among glaucoma patients, according to a study published in the May 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Using a microcatheter to perform 360° trabeculectomy is a safer and more consistent way to treat congenital glaucoma than traditional trabeculectomy, according to information presented at this year's meeting of the American Glaucoma Society (AGS).

Extraction of cataracts lowers intraocular pressure (IOP) to normal levels in glaucoma patients, and may in fact be a better treatment option than combined surgery, according to a study presented at this year's meeting of the Italian Society of Ophthalmology.

Patients with a positive family history of glaucoma are 10 times as likely to have visual field (VF) defects at the time of their diagnosis, according to a study published in the April issue of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, the official Journal of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Taflotan (tafluprost; Santen Oy), a benzalkonium chloride (BAK)-free prostaglandin analogue for the treatment of glaucoma, has received marketing authorization in Denmark and Germany, making it the first preservative-free prostaglandin eye drop to be approved.

The World Glaucoma Day inspired glaucoma specialists around the world to rally local support in order to undertake an enormous task: to reduce the number of people who are unnecessarily going blind from a treatable condition.

QLT Plug Delivery, Inc. has demonstrated proof of concept of its punctal plug drug delivery technology, showing that it is both well tolerated and effective at lowering intraocular pressure (IOP).

Vidus Ocular, Inc, the developer of the Aquashunt device for glaucoma, has been acquired by OPKO Health, Inc.

The addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to trabeculectomy improves the success rate of IOP control, particularly in young diabetic patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG), according to a study published online, ahead of print, by Eye.

The safety of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation for the treatment of glaucoma is being investigated prospectively in a multicenter study.

IOP can be reduced significantly by an anterior juxtascleral depot of anecortave acetate, according to study results presented on a poster at this year's meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

PF-03187207, an experimental glaucoma treatment that was being developed by NicOx and Pfizer, has been shown in Phase II testing to be more effective in lowering IOP under certain circumstances than Pfizer's Xalatan (latanoprost) 0.005%, but it will not be advanced into Phase III testing, Pfizer has announced.

Three separate studies on eye health examine the role of antioxidant supplements, the relationship of visual acuity and mortality, and the causes of glaucoma in the May 2008 issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.