title: The effect of intracamerally injected ethacrynic acid on intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma.
abstract: We studied the effect of ethacrynic acid on intraocular pressure in eyes with advanced open-angle glaucoma. Five to 15 microliters of ethacrynic acid (3.3 to 9.8 micrograms) was injected intracamerally after retrobulbar anesthesia was achieved in five eyes of five patients with advanced glaucoma. Intraocular pressure before treatment ranged from 26 to 46 mm Hg with maximal medical treatment. A reduction in intraocular pressure from 9 to 31 mm Hg was observed in all patients three to 24 hours after treatment, and this effect lasted for three days, with a gradual return of intraocular pressure to pretreatment values one week after treatment. No acute corneal or anterior chamber side effects were observed and results of corneal endothelial cells counts were essentially unchanged two months after treatment. We suggest that ethacrynic acid may represent a new class of antiglaucoma medication. Intracameral administration of ethacrynic acid or a derivative might be contemplated in the future at the time of other ocular surgical procedures to treat short-term intraocular pressure increase.
authors.affiliation: Goldschleger Eye Institute, Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melamed
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kotas-Neumann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000867:Anterior Chamber; D002452:Cell Count; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D004976:Ethacrynic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D004976:Ethacrynic Acid