Ophthalmic drops for glaucoma have the function of lowering blood pressure in the eyes and are usually used throughout life to control the disease and prevent its main complication, which is blindness.
However, while they help control the disease, eye drops can also cause various side effects such as headache, drowsiness and itching, but it’s important to keep using the medication correctly until you talk to your eye doctor to assess whether changes can be made. Treatment.
- There are several types of ophthalmic medications that can be used depending on each person’s health characteristics.
- Such as asthma.
- Allergies.
- Heart problems.
- Or bronchitis:.
These eye drops work by decreasing the production of aqueous humor and, at a later stage, lead to greater drainage of aqueous humor, leading to a decrease in intraocular pressure. The example of an adrenergic agonist drug is brimonidine (Alphagan).
Side effects: headache, dry mouth, fatigue, redness, burning and tingling in the eyes, blurred vision, foreign body sensation in the eyes, folliculosis, allergic eye reactions and itchy eyes.
Beta blockers work by reducing intraocular pressure, and one example is timolol (Timoneus).
Side effects: corneal anesthesia, blurred vision, decreased blood pressure, decreased heart rate and fatigue. In people with a history of asthma, it can also cause mild shortness of breath.
They work by increasing aqueous mood drainage, which helps decrease intraocular pressure. Examples of this type of remedy are bimatoprost (Lumigan), latanoprost (Xalatan), travoprost (Travatan).
Side effects: burns, blurred vision, redness of the eyes, itching and burns.
These remedies work by inhibiting aqueous mood secretion, inhibiting carbon dioxide and thus reducing intraocular pressure. Examples of these medicines include dorzolamide and brinzolamide (Azopt).
Side effects: burns, burns and turbidity in the eyes
They work by decreasing resistance to aqueous mood, leading to a decrease in intraocular pressure. The example of a cholinergic agonist eye drops is pylocarpine, for example.
Side effects: ciliary spasm, eye irritation, conjunctive vascular congestion, headache and eyes, eye hyperemia, decreased visual capacity in low light and induction of nearsightedness, especially in young people.
These are drugs that use more than one type of active substance, and some examples are Cosopt, Combigan or Simbrinza, for example.
To improve the effectiveness of the medicine, you should shake the drops before using and pour 1 drop at a time into the lower eye, into the red pouch that forms when lowering the lower eyelid. Avoid touching the tip of the bottle with your eye.
Ideally, lie down during application, and after the drop has run, close the eye and press the corner next to the nose, as this causes the drug to be absorbed into the area, reducing the side effects that occur as it passes. the bloodstream.
If the drop drops from the eye, it should be drained again, remembering also to make an interval of at least 5 minutes between the application of different eye drops.
To help control the disease, it is necessary to maintain a balanced diet, rich in antioxidant foods and nutrients important to the eyes, such as vitamins A, C and E, and minerals, such as zinc and selenium.
These nutrients are mainly found in foods such as orange, pineapple, carrot, acerla, pumpkin, strawberry, goji berry and raspberry. In addition, by improving circulation and having antioxidant action, blueberries also help improve night vision and eye brightness, and can be used to relieve glaucoma symptoms.
It is also important to avoid eating foods high in sugar and large amounts of salt and caffeine, as they increase blood pressure and eye pressure.
Frequent physical activity helps reduce eye pressure and control risk factors for glaucoma, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. For example, it is recommended to exercise such as walking or cycling for at least 40 minutes, 4 times a week.
In addition, it is important to avoid exercises in positions that leave the body upside down, such as in yoga classes or pilates, as this can increase the pressure on the head and eyes, requiring medical authorization before practicing. this kind of physical activity.
See other types of treatment for glaucoma
Watch the video below as well and learn more about what it is and how to identify glaucoma: