Therapeutic Glaucoma

Jonathan S. Myers, MD, reports that intraocular drug delivery systems could help solve the problem of poor adherence in patients taking glaucoma medications. Implanted in the eye, the systems would allow for glaucoma drugs to gradually dissolve or elute medication.

Although there are no scientifically proven ways to prevent glaucoma, healthy habits–such as moderate exercise, regular visual check-ups, and eating green, leafy vegetables–represent a good starting point for a prevention strategy.

Investigations of the biomechanical changes in the optic nerve head may eventually lead to improvements in therapies for patients with glaucoma.

After decades of slow, but steady, progress in the advancement of glaucoma as a subspecialty, the last quarter century has seen tremendous innovation in this field.

Persistent bleeding in a glaucoma patient with neovascular glaucoma after metastatic renal carcinoma requires a range of surgical methods to treat.

A phase III trial for the fixed-combination netarsudil/latanoprost agent (Roclatan, Aerie Pharmaceuticals)reports positive results. The company plans to submit a NDA for the drug in early 2018.

Innovations in sustained-drug delivery and neuroprotection are bringing glaucoma specialists one step closer to additional therapeutic options.

An analysis of U.S. claims data reveals a substantial proportion of patients (17%) remained untreated 4 years after their initial diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma.