Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that lead to damage of the optic nerve, which transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma may cause vision loss if left untreated. It has been called the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision usually occurs slowly over a long period of time. A major risk factor for glaucoma is increased pressure within the eye, known as intraocular pressure (IOP). It is associated with old age, a family history of glaucoma, and certain medical conditions or medications. The word glaucoma comes from the Ancient Greek word γλαυκός, meaning 'gleaming, blue-green, gray'.
Prostaglandin analogues are a class of drugs that bind to a prostaglandin receptor.
Eye drops or eyedrops are liquid drops applied directly to the surface of the eye usually in small amounts such as a single drop or a few drops. Eye drops usually contain saline to match the salinity of the eye. Drops containing only saline and sometimes a lubricant are often used as artificial tears to treat dry eyes or simple eye irritation such as itching or redness. Eye drops may also contain one or more medications to treat a wide variety of eye diseases. Depending on the condition being treated, they may contain steroids, antihistamines, sympathomimetics, beta receptor blockers, parasympathomimetics, parasympatholytics, prostaglandins, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, antifungals, or topical anesthetics.
The trabecular meshwork is an area of tissue in the eye located around the base of the cornea, near the ciliary body, and is responsible for draining the aqueous humor from the eye via the anterior chamber.
Betaxolol is a selective beta1 receptor blocker used in the treatment of hypertension and angina. It is also a adrenergic blocker with no partial agonist action and minimal membrane stabilizing activity. Being selective for beta1 receptors, it typically has fewer systemic side effects than non-selective beta-blockers, for example, not causing bronchospasm as timolol may. Betaxolol also shows greater affinity for beta1 receptors than metoprolol. In addition to its effect on the heart, betaxolol reduces the pressure within the eye. This effect is thought to be caused by reducing the production of the liquid within the eye. The precise mechanism of this effect is not known. The reduction in intraocular pressure reduces the risk of damage to the optic nerve and loss of vision in patients with elevated intraocular pressure due to glaucoma.
Latanoprost, sold under the brand name Xalatan among others, is a medication used to treat increased pressure inside the eye. This includes ocular hypertension and open-angle glaucoma. Latanaprost is applied as eye drops to the eyes. Onset of effects is usually within four hours, and they last for up to a day.
Timolol is a beta blocker medication used either by mouth or as eye drops. As eye drops it is used to treat increased pressure inside the eye such as in ocular hypertension and glaucoma. By mouth it is used for high blood pressure, chest pain due to insufficient blood flow to the heart, to prevent further complications after a heart attack, and to prevent migraines.
Ocular hypertension is the presence of elevated fluid pressure inside the eye, usually with no optic nerve damage or visual field loss.
Dorzolamide/timolol, sold under the brand name Cosopt among others, is a medication used to treat high pressure inside the eye including glaucoma. It is a combination of dorzolamide hydrochloride and timolol maleate. It may be used when a beta blocker, like timolol, is not sufficient alone. It is used as an eye drop.
Brimonidine is an α2 agonist medication used to treat open-angle glaucoma, ocular hypertension, and rosacea. In rosacea it improves the redness. It is used as eye drops or applied to the skin.
Brinzolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used to lower intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
Travoprost, sold under the brand name Travatan among others, is a medication used to treat high pressure inside the eye including glaucoma. Specifically it is used for open angle glaucoma when other agents are not sufficient. It is used as an eye drop. Effects generally occur within two hours.
Prostaglandin F receptor (FP) is a receptor belonging to the prostaglandin (PG) group of receptors. FP binds to and mediates the biological actions of Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α). It is encoded in humans by the PTGFR gene.
Prostaglandin F2α, pharmaceutically termed dinoprost is a naturally occurring prostaglandin used in medicine to induce labor and as an abortifacient. Prostaglandins are lipids throughout the entire body that have a hormone-like function. In pregnancy, PGF2 is medically used to sustain contracture and provoke myometrial ischemia to accelerate labor and prevent significant blood loss in labor. Additionally, PGF2 has been linked to being naturally involved in the process of labor. It has been seen that there are higher levels of PGF2 in maternal fluid during labor when compared to at term. This signifies that there is likely a biological use and significance to the production and secretion of PGF2 in labor. Prostaglandin is also used to treat uterine infections in domestic animals.
Brimonidine/timolol, sold under the brand name Combigan among others, is a fixed-dose combination medication eye drop used for the treatment of glaucoma. It is a combination of brimonidine and timolol.
Tafluprost is a prostaglandin analogue. It is used topically to control the progression of open-angle glaucoma and in the management of ocular hypertension, alone or in combination with other medication. It reduces intraocular pressure by increasing the outflow of aqueous fluid from the eyes.
Micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) is the latest advance in surgical treatment for glaucoma, which aims to reduce intraocular pressure by either increasing outflow of aqueous humor or reducing its production. MIGS comprises a group of surgical procedures which share common features. MIGS procedures involve a minimally invasive approach, often with small cuts or micro-incisions through the cornea that causes the least amount of trauma to surrounding scleral and conjunctival tissues. The techniques minimize tissue scarring, allowing for the possibility of traditional glaucoma procedures such as trabeculectomy or glaucoma valve implantation to be performed in the future if needed.
Prostamides are a class of physiologically active, lipid-like substances chemically related to prostaglandins. They occur naturally in humans and other animals. The first prostamide, called prostamide E2, was discovered in 1997.
Netarsudil, sold under the brand name Rhopressa among others, is a medication for the treatment of glaucoma. In the United States, in December 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a 0.02% ophthalmic solution for the lowering of elevated intraocular pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The European Medicines Agency approved it in 2019 for the same uses under the brand name Rhokiinsa.
Bimatoprost/timolol, sold under the brand name Ganfort, is a medication for the treatment of certain conditions involving high pressure in the eyes, specifically open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. It is available as eye drops.
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