[The role of Cosopt in glaucoma treatment]

The fixed combination of dorzolamide and timolol (Cosopt) represents a high effective therapy and is generally well tolerated. It produces a baro-protection similarly to that caused by both the prostaglandin analogs and the other topically fixed combinations. Cosopt is the only hypotensive medication that produces a direct vasoprotection by increasing retrobulbar, choroidal, retinal and optic nerve head blood flow. Its major indication is as second line therapy e.g. after the failure of a previously given monotherapy Cosopt is also indicated as an initial therapy (first line therapy) in ocular hypertensions associated with high risk factors of conversion, in some well chosen cases of primary open-angle glaucoma (e.g. glaucomas with untreated intraocular pressure of greater than 30 mmHg), in exfoliation glaucoma as well as in the majority forms of secondary glaucoma.