[New trends in conservative treatment of glaucoma]

The two principal pathophysiological mechanisms of glaucomatous process (hydromechanical and metabolic) determine the development of two trends in the treatment of glaucoma. One treatment modality is aimed at reduction of intraocular pressure, the other at therapy of hemodynamic and metabolic disorders. General and local drug therapy and physiotherapy, including electro- and laser stimulation of the retina and optic nerve and magneto-therapy, are used to correct these disorders. Modern ocular hypotensive agents are myotics and beta-adrenoblockers, adrenergic drugs, alpha 2-agonists, carboanhydrase inhibitors, some prostaglandins, osmotic agents. The author emphasizes that drugs should be selected individually and regularly replaced in order to prevent the development of the habituation phenomenon and the negative side effects. The progress attained in conservative therapy of glaucoma should by no means be overstated. In many cases only a combination of conservative and surgical methods of treatment helps preserve vision in a glaucoma patient.