FDA-Approved Oral Medications for Glaucoma – Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors (CAIs)

Currently Available (FDA-approved) Medical Treatments (Oral Medication)

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors (CAIs)

The Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors (CAIs) – Again, they turn on the faucet. But the oral ones are far more effective than the topical ones. So the oral ones, again, are Acetazolamide and Neptazane. The issue with the oral ones, though, is systemic side effects: transient myopia, frequent urination, light-headedness, paresthesias/Paresthesias – extremity tingling. These are all bothersome but they’re not horrible. What’s horrible is potentially (in your older patients) dehydration leading to falls, malaise, weight loss, GI symptoms, and hypokalemia. So we all say to our patients, “eat bananas” — bananas actually aren’t the best source of potassium. Much better would be pomegranates, which we now have in abundance here. And soon enough bananas won’t be available anyway. So you might as well start recommending pomegranates before bananas go extinct, metabolic acidosis, kidney stones, aplastic anemia, and death. So this is why you don’t see patients on Diamox chronically at least not too many of them. So those are medical treatments.

NEXT → Laser Trabeculoplasty

Currently Available Methods to Treat Open Angle Glaucoma Series:

1. Currently Available Methods to Treat Open Angle Glaucoma
2. Beta-blockers, Selective Alpha Adrenergic Agonist, CAIs
3. Prostaglandin Analogs, Cholinergic Receptors Agonists, Fixed Combination Agents
4. Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors (CAIs)
5. Laser Trabeculoplasty
6. Continuous Wave and Micropulse® Cyclophotocoagulation
7. Trabeculectomy and Glaucoma Drainage Devices
8. Ab-Externo Canaloplasty
9. Ab-Interno Canaloplasty
10. Trabeculotomy
11. IStent®, Cypass® Microstent, Xen® 45 Gel Stent, Cataract Surgery
12. Next-Generation Glaucoma Medications and Surgeries
13. iStent Supra®, Hydrus™ Microstent, and InnFocus MicroShunt®
14. Canaloplasty with Stegmann Canal Expander