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Your Glaucoma Medications

Glaucoma is a potentially blinding disease. It can be controlled by medication but it can not be cured by it. If you have glaucoma, you must always be diligent in regularly using the medications that have been prescribed for you. If a condition prevents you from being able to put in your own eye drops, make sure that you have someone who can do it for you.

Side effects are possible from any medication, so make your doctor aware if you are having any problems. A change can be made in the type or brand of eye drops you are using, the strength of the eye drops, or the time of day when you use them. Until you have been told specifically by your doctor that it is no longer necessary for you to use the eye drops or oral medications for your glaucoma, do not take it upon yourself to discontinue them.

Eye drops

The different types of eye drops used in treating glaucoma are all designed to lower the pressure within the eye, but they work in different ways. One type increases the size of the opening in the filters that let the fluid out of the eye. The second type will cut down the amount of fluid that the eye secretes; the third type makes the pupil small and pulls the iris away from the area known as the angle so it can’t block the drainage openings. Whatever type is prescribed to you is based on the type of glaucoma you have and your occupational and daily living needs.

Side Effects

Drops that shrink pupil size may cause dimness or blurring of vision or trouble seeing in the dark. Other possible side effects include irritation of the eye membranes, or the development of allergies to the medicine or to one of the chemicals used to preserve it.

Very rarely, some individuals with heart and lung diseases (especially asthma) may have serious problems with the type of eye drops known as “beta blockers”. If you have been placed on this type of eye drops, inform your doctor of increased difficulty with any condition, so the type or brand of drops can be changed.

Storage

Some eye drops require refrigeration if they are to be stored for a long period of time. If you buy large quantities of eye drops for economy or other reasons, keep the unopened bottles refrigerated until you use them.

Oral Medication

There are oral glaucoma medications, known as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors that lower the pressure in your eyes. Sometimes they also increase the amount of fluid that passes out of your body, so you may notice that you need to urinate more frequently. These medications are prescribed either as capsules or as pills that are scored so they may be broken in half if needed.

Side Effects

Oral medications can sometimes produce unusual side effects that include: numbness around the mouth, numbness or tingling in the tips of the fingers and toes, occasional loss of appetite, a metallic or “tinny” taste in the mouth. These peculiar symptoms often decrease as time goes on, but if they are especially bothersome, please discuss them with your doctor. If you break out in hives or a rash, it could be due to the medication you are taking, so please contact your doctor immediately.