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Second look at glaucoma surgery: Anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery not helpful or necessary

Date:
September 18, 2014
Source:
Queen's University
Summary:
Using anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery is not helpful or necessary, new research concludes. Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the world, and is mainly caused by pressure within the eye being high enough to damage the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for sending messages from the eye to the brain and is a vital part of vision.
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New research led by Queen's University professor Robert Campbell (Ophthalmology) has revealed using anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery is not helpful or necessary.

Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the world and about 400,000 Canadians are afflicted with the disease, which is mainly caused by pressure within the eye being high enough to damage the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for sending messages from the eye to the brain and is a vital part of vision.

"The use of strong anti-inflammatory therapies after glaucoma laser surgery became standard practice years ago, in an era when the type of laser we used was much more destructive. Today's laser systems are much gentler, and we felt that the use of anti-inflammatory steroids may not be necessary. In fact, we thought that a small amount of inflammation might actually be helpful in causing greater pressure-lowering effects from the laser treatment," says Dr. Campbell, who also works at Hotel Dieu Hospital.

Dr. Campbell and his research team carried out the first placebo controlled randomized clinical trial focusing on the effects of post-laser medications. They found that steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not affect the ability of the laser treatment to lower eye pressure and do not influence complication rates.

"These findings have the potential to change patient care after glaucoma laser surgery and could save the Canadian healthcare systems millions of dollars by decreasing the use of drugs following this very common procedure," says Dr. Campbell.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Queen's University. Original written by Anne Craig. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Delan Jinapriya, Mark D’Souza, Hussein Hollands, Sherif R. El-Defrawy, Isabella Irrcher, Donald Smallman, James P. Farmer, John Cheung, Todd Urton, Andrew Day, Xiaoquin Sun, Robert J. Campbell. Anti-inflammatory Therapy after Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmology, 2014; DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.07.017

Cite This Page:

Queen's University. "Second look at glaucoma surgery: Anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery not helpful or necessary." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 September 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140918101637.htm>.
Queen's University. (2014, September 18). Second look at glaucoma surgery: Anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery not helpful or necessary. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140918101637.htm
Queen's University. "Second look at glaucoma surgery: Anti-inflammatory medications after glaucoma laser surgery not helpful or necessary." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140918101637.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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