Cholinergics for glaucoma
Examples
Generic Name Brand Name pilocarpine hydrochloride Pilopine HS This medication is available as an eyedrop and as a gel.
Cholinergic medication eyedrops have green bottle caps. If you need to use more than one type of eyedrop, you may need to take each medication in a certain order. You can use the colour of the bottle cap to help you remember when to use each type of eyedrop.
If you are using more than one type of eyedrop, wait 5 minutes between the different eyedrop medicines.
How It Works
This medication reduces pressure in the eyes by increasing the drainage of fluid (aqueous humour) out of the eye through the trabecular meshwork.
Why It Is Used
Cholinergics can be used to treat open-angle glaucoma. Pilocarpine is the cholinergic that is most often used to treat glaucoma.
Like beta-blockers, cholinergics can be used alone or combined with other glaucoma medications. A combination of medications can help control how much fluid is produced in the eye and increase the amount of fluid that drains out of the eye.
Cholinergic medications may be used during an episode of closed-angle glaucoma once the pressure inside the eye has been reduced.
Cholinergics are one of the oldest types of medications used to treat glaucoma. However, because they can cause significant side effects, and there are other effective medications to treat glaucoma, cholinergic medications are not used as frequently as they once were.
How Well It Works
This medication has the strongest effect on the pressure in the eye during the 2 to 4 hours after medication is applied. The medication continues to work for 4 to 8 hours after use.
Side Effects
Side effects of cholinergics include:
- Stinging, burning when eyedrops are used.
- Blurred vision, problems with night vision, and problems with focusing at a far distance.
- Brow ache (headache above the eye in the eyebrow area). This usually gets better after 1 to 2 weeks and is not a reason to stop the medication.
- Diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
- Clouding of the lens (cataract) or pulling away of the inside lining of the eye (retinal detachment).
- Increased salivation, tearing in the eyes, or sweating.
Report any change in your vision, including dimmer sight, flashing lights, or floating spots. Also promptly report any loss of eyesight to your health professional.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
Pilocarpine has few side effects on the rest of the body, but it is not used as often as other medications because it causes blurred vision and works for only a short time. Many people find it uncomfortable to apply pilocarpine because of the stinging feeling that the medication causes.
Compared to pilocarpine eyedrops, pilocarpine gel (Pilopine) can be applied once each day. However, the gel is more expensive than the eyedrops. For some people it may be more difficult to use than eyedrops.
Cholinergics are more powerful when combined with a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (such as dorzolamide [Trusopt] or brinzolamide [Azopt]). Newer combinations that are also an additive include pilocarpine and latanoprost (Xalatan). However, when a combination of medications is used, the person may need to put in different eyedrops as many as 8 times a day.
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| Author: | Carrie Henley Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: August 31, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Tom Bailey, MD - Family Medicine Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Examples | |
| How It Works | |
| Why It Is Used | |
| How Well It Works | |
| Side Effects | |
| What To Think About | |