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Current and new pharmacotherapeutic approaches for glaucoma
Wesam Shamseldin Shalaby1,2, Vikram Shankar1, Reza Razeghinejad1
1Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital , Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
|July 28, 2020
Summary
Novel non-topical drug delivery systems offer new hope for treating glaucoma, addressing challenges associated with current eye drop therapies. These innovations aim to improve medication adherence and effectiveness for patients with open-angle glaucoma.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pharmacology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Glaucoma is a primary cause of irreversible blindness globally.
- Medical therapy, particularly topical treatments, is standard for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and ocular hypertension.
- Existing topical therapies face challenges including patient noncompliance, cost, and side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current topical glaucoma treatments and emerging non-topical drug delivery systems.
- To discuss the limitations of conventional topical ocular drug delivery.
- To highlight innovative approaches in glaucoma pharmacotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of PubMed and manual searches for glaucoma medications and delivery options.
- Review of studies on both topical and non-topical (extra- and intraocular) drug delivery methods.
- Analysis of current and investigational topical glaucoma medications.
Main Results:
- Topical therapy for glaucoma presents significant challenges for patients and clinicians.
- Barriers include poor adherence, cost, adverse effects, and fluctuating intraocular pressure.
- New non-topical drug delivery systems show promise for overcoming these limitations.
Conclusions:
- Medical management of glaucoma requires addressing patient and clinician-related issues.
- Innovation in non-topical drug delivery is crucial for improving glaucoma treatment outcomes.
- Continued research into novel medications and delivery systems is essential for advancing glaucoma pharmacotherapy.
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