The Dedicated Ophthalmology Referral Practice

Xalatan - the new glaucoma drug of the moment!

At last we have a breakthrough in the medical management of glaucoma. In the human patient, Xalatan drops make the colour of the iris more intense and make eyelashes blacker and longer, so you can throw away those false lashes!

The active ingredient is latanoprost, a housekeeping prostaglandin analogue. It is thought to act by maintaining the open extracellular spaces in the ciliary cleft and by causing miosis as a useful side effect. We are finding it a good drug to use in addition to Trusopt.

Prescribe one drop sid in the evening or one drop bid. Titrate sid or bid to maintain a small pupil. The downside (as always!) is the cost to clients of around £40 per 3ml bottle, but it does work. Start suspect glaucoma cases on this drug together with Trusopt three times daily, and iv mannitol where appropriate but still refer early as this is the most difficult condition we treat.