Glaucoma

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Prostaglandin analogues preserved with benzalkonium chloride (BAK) can cause more extensive loss of goblet cells and a breakdown of cell-cell adhesions, which could increase the risk of ocular surface disease, according to findings from a pair of studies conducted in rabbits.

It has long been noticed that one side effect of the glaucoma drug Lumigan (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution; Allergan) is increased eyelash growth, however, nobody could have predicted that cosmetic companies would start using small quantities of prostaglandins in products specifically designed for the "beauty" market.

Glaucoma 2007

A look back at what has happened in the field of glaucoma in 2007 and what we can look forward to in 2008.

FDA approves Combigan

The FDA has approved Allergan's Combigan for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

A study in the September/October issue of the European Journal of Ophthalmology has shown that the silicone plate Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) results in lower intraocular pressure (IOP) compared with the older polypropylene plate AGV.

High quality optical coherence tomography (OCT) images cannot be obtained in a large percentage of glaucoma patients without pupillary dilation.

Circumferential viscodilation and tensioning of Schlemm's canal is a safe and effective surgical procedure for reducing intraocular pressure in adult patients with open-angle glaucoma.

The glaucoma-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, Glau-Qol, demonstrates good correlations with disease progression in patients with glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

By 2010, glaucoma will affect 60 million people worldwide and cause blindness in more than 8 million.1 Despite the availability of effective treatments that delay or halt progression of the disease, an unacceptable number of people with glaucoma remain undiagnosed and untreated. Strategies for achieving earlier and more accurate diagnosis of glaucoma are therefore urgently needed to combat the rising burden of this disease in an ageing European population.

Results of an international survey have found that the majority of people aged over 40 years of age do not attend eye examinations.

Lower systolic perfusion pressure, lower systolic blood pressure and cardiovascular disease history are all predictors of glaucoma.

In patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG), the increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) caused by pharmacological pupillary dilation is related to the likelihood of future progression of glaucoma.

The Visual Impairment Instrument (IVI) and the Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS) are suboptimal scales for assessing patients with glaucoma but relatively good vision.

Central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements should be included as part of a complete ocular examination, particularly in patients at risk of developing primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), according to a study conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and published in the journal Ophthalmology.