Glaucoma pharmacotherapy: implications for flying fitness.
The objective of lowering the intraocular pressures remains the main-stay of therapy in the management of glaucoma, and may be achieved by medication, laser, or surgery. For many years the pharmacotherapy available, while quite effective, were few in number; principally timolol, pilocarpine, and oral acetazolamide. Through extensive research in glaucoma treatment, ophthalmologists now have access to a dozen different medications to treat glaucoma. This has invariably led to a decrease in the need for laser or surgery to control the intraocular pressures, and the number of glaucoma operations performed has progressively declined over the past few years. However, aviation medicine practitioners need to be aware of the potential adverse effects of these medications as some of these undesirable side effects may render the drugs unsuitable for aircrew.
Lam
Pin Min
PM
Singapore National Eye Centre, 11 Third Hospital Avenue, Singapore 168751. vpmlam@yahoo.com.sg
D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000075202:Contraindications; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008916:Miotics / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012449:Safety; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013999:Timolol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014796:Visual Perception
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; D008916:Miotics; D010862:Pilocarpine; D013999:Timolol; D000086:Acetazolamide