Steroid for Glaucoma?

Did you know? It may be possible to lower eye pressure in glaucoma with injections of a steroid called anecortave acetate. Although most steroids have to potential to raise eye pressure, this steroid has been shown in a number of studies to lower eye pressure. Researchers at Johns Hopkins, in Baltimore, injected a small amount of medicine or placebo just under the surface of the eye in 85 patients. After three months, the patients receiving the medicine had a pressure reduction of 7.4 mm Hg compared with 1.4 mm Hg in the placebo group. Read more here.

Did you also know? Many patients have enormous difficulty taking their glaucoma eyedrops properly. If it becomes possible to control eye pressure with a painless injection under the eye every three, six, or twelve months, that would give us a very important additional measure to preserve vision in glaucoma.