Glaucoma

The increasing use of prostaglandin analogues in Scotland has led to an increase in prescribing rates and a rapid increase in cost, whilst prescribing of beta-blockers has declined and trabeculectomy rates have fallen, according to a study published in the February 2008 issue of Eye.

The risk of glaucoma after refractive surgery procedures should not be underestimated, claims José Belda, MD, speaking at the Alicante Refractiva International meeting, held March 6–8 in Spain.

Cardiovascular mortality tends to increase in black persons with diagnosed and treated open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and ocular hypertension (OH), and the risk of death and cardiovascular mortality are increased further in those patients treated with timolol, according to a paper published in the March 11, 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Dynamic contour tonometry (DCT) provides a more accurate measure of glaucomatous visual field loss and intraocular pressure (IOP) when compared with Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT), according to a study published in the December 2007 issue of the Journal of Glaucoma.

It is more cost-effective to perform routine tonometry in all initial ophthalmic patients than in none at all or in just high-risk glaucoma patients, according to a paper published in the March 2008 issue of Eye.

Patients with newborn primary congenital glaucoma have a better chance of successful surgery if glaucoma drainage device implantations or trabeculectomies are performed instead of goniosurgery.

American and European physicians prefer to treat glaucoma with prostaglandin monotherapy, most commonly latanoprost.

Erbium YAG-laser-assisted deep sclerectomy (DS) offers greatly simplified dissection and better long-term intraocular pressure (IOP) control compared with conventional DS.

Alcon has announced positive efficacy and safety results from its second controlled proof of concept clinical study of anecortave acetate administered as an anterior juxtascleral depot in the sub-Tenon's space to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Patients with established glaucoma have only slightly greater knowledge of their condition than patients who are newly diagnosed.

Ocular motility abnormalities and strabismus are common in children after aqueous drainage device surgery and these problems should be taken into account before proceeding with surgery.

Oxidative stress is an early event in hydrostatic pressure/intraocular pressure-induced (IOP) neuronal damage.

When the amount of optic nerve damage is taken into account, there is little difference in the optic disc topography of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and those with primary angle-closure glaucoma.

Optic disc pit prevalence increases with age and is strongly associated with high-pressure open-angle glaucoma.

The use of glaucoma drainage surgery is decreasing in Britain, which may be explained by an increase in cataract extraction, according to a report published in the January issue of Eye.

Using a telemedicine system to assist ophthalmologists in developing countries with the diagnosis and management of various ophthalmic conditions can be successful.

New developments in diagnostic technology should enable better screening and follow-up of refractive surgery patients, said Dan Z. Reinstein, MD, delivering a keynote address during the refractive surgery subspecialty day preceding the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in November 2007.

Researchers from the University of Iowa, USA have discovered that a gene and related signaling pathway play a role in the development of glaucoma.

A travoprost - travoprost/timolol (T-TT) treatment sequence is more effective at preventing the need for a third-line treatment than a latanoprost - latanoprost/timolol (L-LT) treatment sequence.

The Pulsair EasyEye non-contact tonometer (Keeler) can be considered an accurate and reliable method of measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in the normotensive population but it cannot be used interchangeably with the Goldmann tonometer.

Latanoprost offers a more cost-effective strategy for the treatment of glaucoma than either dorzolamide or brimonidine.

Deep sclerectomy with the SkGel implant (Corneal Laboratories) provides stable, long-term control of intraocular pressure (IOP) and visual field .

A fixed combination of dorzolamide and timolol significantly increase blood flow at the neuroretinal rim, demonstrating a combination of hypotensive and haemodynamic effects.

The gene sFRPI plays a key role in glaucoma development, and researchers from the University of Iowa (UI) have found that an over-expression of the gene raises fluid pressure in the eyes.

Today there are an increasing number of medications for glaucoma. But as yet we are still in the Dark Ages insofar as the cause of this visually disabling disorder.

Medically well-controlled glaucoma patients and patients with exfoliation syndrome may experience intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation shortly after cataract surgery. This can be controlled by the instillation of timolol maleate 0.5%.

Choroidal drainage can be a safe and effective interventional procedure for patients presenting with acute angle closure secondary to Topiramate toxicity.

Patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) are more likely to have abnormal Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) scores in the areas that focus upon concerns of somatic complaints and poor health.

Ophthalmologists in more than 34 countries around the globe are busy planning events for World Glaucoma Day on March 6th to alert people to the devastating effects of glaucoma and the importance of having their eyes examined.

With increasing numbers of patients undergoing filtration surgery with the Ex-PRESS Miniature Glaucoma devices (Optonol), anterior segment surgeons should be aware of the potential for device exposure.