NHMRC Glaucoma Guidelines - ANZGIG
NHMRC Glaucoma Guidelines - ANZGIG
NHMRC Glaucoma Guidelines - ANZGIG
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<strong>NHMRC</strong> GUIDELINES FOR THE SCREENING, PROGNOSIS, DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION OF GLAUCOMA<br />
Chapter 9 – Medication<br />
■ Chapter 9<br />
Medication<br />
Recommendation 11<br />
Reduce IOP by using medication<br />
Good Practice Points<br />
• Due to potential efficacy and once-daily usage, a topical prostaglandin analogue is usually the first choice,<br />
unless contraindicated. When more than one agent is required, fixed-dose combinations should be<br />
considered to encourage improved compliance.<br />
• Topical medications may be the simplest and safest first choice for treatment, except for pregnant and<br />
lactating women.<br />
• Facilitate adherence and perseverance with a patient-centric self-management approach to a medication<br />
plan. Provide ongoing tailored information (such as from <strong>Glaucoma</strong> Australia) to reinforce a patient’s<br />
understanding of glaucoma and realistic goals of treatment.<br />
• Initiate, switch or add medications to one eye, using the other eye as a “control”. In these cases, reassess<br />
IOP within 2-6 weeks before treating the other eye. If there is no apparent effect check for adherence.<br />
• Teach patients the “double DOT” (Don’t Open Technique and Digital Occlusion of Tear ducts) for<br />
2-3 minutes post-instillation to minimise systemic absorption and to promote ocular penetration<br />
of eyedrops.<br />
• Demonstrate instillation techniques, observe patient or carer instilling drops and repeat education till<br />
ability to instill has been proven.<br />
Introduction<br />
Medication is generally the first management choice 2 by health care providers for most patients<br />
with glaucoma. Medication is used to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) by enhancing aqueous<br />
outflow and/or reducing aqueous production. There are five main families of glaucoma medications,<br />
each with recognised actions, side effects and contraindications.<br />
When prescribing glaucoma medication, many factors should be considered including IOP-lowering<br />
potency, additive effects, interaction with concomitant medications and disease states, side effects<br />
and ease of administration. Persistence with and adherence to medication regimens is vital in the<br />
management of chronic disease. <strong>Glaucoma</strong> medication must be suited to an individual patient’s<br />
capacity to effectively self-administer.<br />
Conventional medication management of glaucoma usually begins with topical eye drops. However,<br />
in situations where patients are unable to instill eye drops safely or effectively, or where reduction<br />
in IOP is less than desired, oral acetazolamide may be used. This form of delivery however, is<br />
2 NB: First choice refers to medications that a treating health care provider prefers to use as the initial intervention. First line refers<br />
to a medication that has been approved by an official controlling body for initial intervention (European Guideline Society [EGS]<br />
2003). This guideline refers to first choice as it provides guidance to health care provider<br />
National Health and Medical Research Council 107