title: The effects of nasolacrimal canal blockage on topical medications for glaucoma.
abstract: Twenty patients with primary open angle glaucoma who have been treated with identical antiglaucoma eye drops in both eyes were examined. Silicone punctal plugs were used to occlude the inferior punctum of one eye, in order to block the nasolacrimal canal. The intraocular pressures and effects of the medical therapy before and after punctal occlusion were compared. Punctal occlusion significantly decreased the intraocular pressure with an average of 2.00 +/- 0.43 mmHg in the plugged eyes (p < 0.001). The intraocular pressure in the unplugged control eyes did not change significantly (p > 0.05) after punctal occlusion of the fellow treated eye.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aritürk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oge
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Süllü
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahin
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000322:Adrenergic Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000322:Adrenergic Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010862:Pilocarpine; D004837:Epinephrine