Ocular surface disease (OSD) is a complex condition that can cause a range of symptoms (e.g, dryness, irritation, and pain) and can significantly impact the quality of life of affected individuals. Iatrogenic OSD, a common finding in patients with glaucoma who receive chronic therapy with topical ocular antihypertensive drugs containing preservatives such as benzalkonium chloride (BAK), has been linked to damage to the ocular surface barrier, corneal epithelial cells, nerves, conjunctival goblet cells, and trabecular meshwork. Chronic BAK exposure activates inflammatory pathways and worsens symptoms, compromising the success of subsequent filtration surgery in an exposure-dependent manner. In eyes being treated for glaucoma, symptomatic treatment of OSD may provide some relief, but addressing the root cause of the OSD often necessitates reducing or, ideally, eliminating BAK toxicity. Strategies to decrease BAK exposure in patients with glaucoma encompass the use of preservative-free formulations or drugs with alternative and less toxic preservatives such as SofZia®, Polyquad, potassium sorbate, or Purite®. Though the benefits of these alternative preservatives are largely unproven, they might be considered when financial constraints prevent the use of preservative-free versions. For patients receiving multiple topical preserved drugs, the best practice is to switch to nonpreserved equivalents wherever feasible, regardless of OSD severity. Furthermore, nonpharmacological approaches, including laser or incisional procedures, should be considered. This review explores the effects of BAK on the ocular surface and reviews strategies for minimizing or eliminating BAK exposure in patients with glaucoma in order to significantly improve their quality of life and prevent complications associated with chronic exposure to BAK.

CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that 360-degree selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is significantly more effective than 180-degree SLT at reducing intraocular pressure at 1-month and 1-year follow-ups without increased serious adverse event risk.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of 180- versus 360-degree selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in adults with open angle glaucoma (OAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT).
METHODS: A systematic review was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases, from 1995 to December 30, 2023, for studies comparing 180 and 360-degree SLT in adults with OAG and OHT (PROSPERO ID: CRD42024497832). Meta-analyses were performed to calculate nominal percent and raw reductions in intraocular pressure (IOP) between treatment groups at 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups, as well as success rates, defined as a 20% or greater IOP reduction.
RESULTS: Nine studies with 1044 eyes were included; 491 received 180-degree SLT, and 553 received 360-degree SLT. At the 1-month follow-up, 360-degree SLT reduced IOP by 3.45% more (WMD=3.45; 95% CI: 2.02-4.88; P <0.00001) and 0.87 mm Hg more (WMD=0.87; 95% CI: 0.35-1.38; P =0.0010). At the 1-year follow-up, 360-degree SLT reduced IOP by 4.33% more (WMD=4.33; 95% CI: 2.35-6.32; P <0.0001) and 1.15 mm Hg more (WMD=1.15; 95% CI: 0.25-2.04; P =0.01). At 2 years of follow-up, 360-degree SLT reduced IOP by 4.86% more (WMD=4.86; 95% CI: -0.32, 10.0; P =0.07) and 1.25 mm Hg more (WMD=1.25; 95% CI: -0.29, 2.79; P =0.11); however, the difference was not statistically significant. Compared with 360-degree SLT, 180-degree SLT had a significantly lower success rate (OR=0.50; 95% CI: 0.35-0.72; P =0.0002). There was no difference in serious complications between interventions.
CONCLUSIONS: 360-degree SLT is more effective than 180-degree SLT at lowering IOP at 1-month and 1-year follow-ups as well as achieving successful IOP control without increased risk of serious complications.

CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that cataract surgery can reduce intraocular pressure in patients with primary open angle, normal tension, or exfoliative glaucoma. The complete effect of phacoemulsification is masked by topical intraocular pressure-lowering medications.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation on intraocular pressure (IOP) level in individuals with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), exfoliative glaucoma (XFG), exfoliation syndrome (XFS), normal tension glaucoma (NTG), ocular hypertension (OH), or healthy controls 12 months after the surgery.
METHODS: In July 2023, a comprehensive literature review was conducted across six databases. The analysis focused on the phacoemulsification arms of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome of interest was the mean IOP change observed 12 months after phacoemulsification.
RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 9 arms from 9 RCTs, comprising a total of 502 participants. Overall, the average IOP was reduced by 3.77 mm Hg (95% CI: -5.55 to -1.99, I2 =67.9%) 12 months after surgery. The subgroup analysis, focused on whether a washout period was used before measuring IOP, revealed that studies with a washout period exhibited a more pronounced IOP reduction of 5.25 mm Hg (95% CI: -7.35 to -3.15, I2 =0%), while studies without a washout period exhibited a reduction of 3.13 mm Hg (95% CI: -5.46 to -0.81, I2 =75.8%). The sensitivity analysis for the latter group, excluding an outlier study, showed a reduction of 1.81 mm Hg (95% CI: -2.95 to -0.67, I2 =0%).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that cataract surgery meaningfully lowers IOP in POAG, XFG/XFS, or OH 12 months after surgery. However, the use of topical medications masks the precise impact of phacoemulsification upon postoperative IOP. Further research using appropriate washout periods is warranted.

UNASSIGNED: Latanoprostene bunod 0.024% (LBN, Vyzulta®) is a nitric oxide-donating prostaglandin analog (PGA). We investigated the real-world efficacy and safety of LBN in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT) who switched their existing intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering treatment(s) to LBN.
UNASSIGNED: This non-interventional, multicenter (United States), retrospective chart review included patients aged ≥18 years with OHT and/or mild-to-moderate OAG diagnoses taking 1-2 IOP-lowering treatments at the time of switch to LBN (index visit). Chart-extracted data included demographics, diagnoses, IOP and ocular assessments, other IOP-lowering treatments, adverse events (AEs), and reasons for discontinuation. The main study outcome was IOP change from the index visit to each of the next 2 chart-recorded follow-up visits. Analysis groups included the overall dataset and 2 subgroups of patients switched from PGA therapy to LBN: \"PGA-all\" subgroup [all patients previously on a PGA with/without another IOP-lowering product] and \"PGA-monotherapy\" subgroup [patients previously on a PGA alone]). Additional ocular outcomes (eg, visual acuity) were examined, if available.
UNASSIGNED: The overall dataset included 49 patients (46 had OAD alone, 2 had OHT alone, and 1 had both). The PGA-all subgroup and PGA-monotherapy subgroups had 41 and 32 patients, respectively. Switching to LBN led to a ~25% IOP reduction from the index visit to Visit 1 that was sustained at Visit 2. IOP findings in the PGA-all and PGA-monotherapy subgroups were consistent with the overall dataset. No meaningful changes in other ocular outcomes were found. Of 14 ocular AEs, 3 were recorded as such (mild in severity, considered unrelated to treatment), and 11 were identified through review of interval ocular histories (no severity/relatedness information); none led to discontinuation.
UNASSIGNED: In this short-term retrospective chart review of mild-to-moderate OAG/OHT, switching prior IOP-lowering therapy to LBN produced an additional ~25% IOP reduction and appeared to be well tolerated.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of perioperative intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering medications on controlling postoperative IOP following uncomplicated phacoemulsification.
METHODS: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched up until November 2022. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed IOP change via applanation tonometry in medicated and control arms following uncomplicated cataract surgery in healthy eyes were included. The primary outcome was the weighted mean difference (WMD) of IOP at 2-8 h, 12-24 h, and 1-7 days postoperatively within each medication class or common fixed-combination formulations. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised risk of bias in randomised trials (RoB-2). Level of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) RESULTS: From 702 screened articles, 30 RCTs involving 2986 eyes were included. There was a statistically significant reduction in IOP favouring treatment arms at 2-8 h (WMD = -3.87 mmHg; 95% CI [-4.75, -3.00]; p < 0.001) and 12-24 h (WMD = -2.69 mmHg; 95% CI [-3.36, -2.02]; p < 0.001), with the effect wearing off beyond 1 day (p = 0.18). Between medication classes, the largest effect at both 2-8 h and 12-24 h was observed with intracameral cholinergics or fixed-combination carbonic anhydrase inhibitor-beta-blocker (FCCB) formulations. Conversely, the smallest effect was observed with prostaglandin analogues, alpha-agonists, and topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs).
CONCLUSIONS: Prophylaxis against acute IOP elevations following uncomplicated cataract surgery is effective. FCCB and intracameral cholinergics are the most effective ocular antihypertensive agents, while alpha-agonists, prostaglandin analogues, and topical CAIs were found to be the least effective. These findings may inform future surgical guidelines.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) positively correlates with both normal and high-tension glaucoma. To date, IOP targeting remains the validated pharmacological approach in counteracting glaucoma progression as well as in halting vision loss. Among the different adjuvant compounds, evidence highlighted the potential effectiveness of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), an endogenous fatty acid amide. Thus, a systematic review of the literature was conducted, thoroughly evaluating PEA treatment regimen in decreasing IOP in patients with eye disorders. We checked for articles across the scientific databases Pubmed (MEDLINE), Embase (OVID), and Web of Science from the inception to 30 August 2023, and a total of 828 articles were recovered. Six of these studies (199 patients) were included in the systematic review after the study selection process, and three studies for meta-analysia. Overall, PEA showed significant efficacy in reducing IOP in patients, this encourages its clinical use in glaucoma as well as across different forms of eye disorders.

Recent advancements in prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) have reinforced their role in managing intraocular pressure (IOP). Latanoprost excels in 24-h IOP control, while various PGAs offer similar effectiveness and side effects, generic PGAs perform as well as branded ones, and a notable IOP rise observed upon PGA discontinuation. Formulations with or without preservatives show comparable IOP reduction and adherence, often surpassing benzalkonium chloride (BAK)-preserved options. Emergent PGAs, such as latanoprostene bunod, fixed-dose netarsudil combined with latanoprost, and omidenepag Isopropyl, offer enhanced or non-inferior IOP reduction. The bimatoprost implant introduces a novel administration method with effective IOP reduction. These developments underscore ongoing progress in PGA-focused ophthalmological research. This article offers a comprehensive review of available prostanoid analogs and explores new developments.

BACKGROUND: To appraise the quality of clinical practice guidelines for glaucoma suspects, and to assess their consistency for how a \'glaucoma suspect\' is defined and their recommendations for treatment initiation for such individuals.
METHODS: This study included all documents that self-identified as a \'guideline\' and provided recommendation(s) for the clinical care of glaucoma suspects. The quality of eligible guidelines was assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument.
RESULTS: From 1196 records retrieved from comprehensive searches and two records manually included, 20 clinical practice guidelines were deemed eligible. Based on an appraisal using the AGREE II instrument, 16 (80%) guidelines had ≤2 domains with scores >66%. Overall, the lowest scoring domains were for applicability, editorial independence and stakeholder involvement. There was relatively poor agreement across the guidelines for what defines a \'glaucoma suspect\' or \'primary open angle glaucoma [POAG] suspect\', as well as the recommendations and criteria for treatment initiation in these populations. There was better agreement for the definition and recommendations for treatment initiation for \'primary angle closure suspects\'.
CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial room to improve the methodological quality of most current international clinical guidelines for glaucoma suspects. Clinicians should consider this finding when using such guidelines to inform their care of glaucoma suspects. Substantial variation in the definition of a POAG suspect and recommendations for treatment initiation underscores important gaps in the current evidence for the accurate prediction of glaucoma development and treatment effectiveness in these individuals.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyse the effect of excess body weight on intraocular pressure (IOP) values.
A literature search from PubMed, Medline and ScienceDirect Databases on 18 May 2023 was conducted by three reviewers, then filtered each study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. For the quality assessment of included studies, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was adapted. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan V.5.4 by entering the IOP values of each group to measure the mean difference.
From 2656 studies, there were 9 studies that matched the criteria and then were included to perform a quantitative meta-analysis. The results showed a mean difference of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.67 to 1.18) of the excessive weight group against the normal weight group. This suggests that there is a significant relationship between excess body weight and increasing values of IOP.
It can be concluded that excessive body weight tends to lead to higher IOP, which means that high IOP becomes a major risk factor for glaucoma.

UNASSIGNED: Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness with intraocular pressure (IOP) as the only known modifiable risk factor. Prostaglandin FP receptor agonists are the first-line medical treatment for glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Despite their efficacy, their IOP lowering effect may be insufficient requiring second agents, and poor patient compliance to medical therapy may preclude their full effect.
UNASSIGNED: This literature review examines the novel FP receptor drugs and drug delivery devices in clinical phase trials for treatment of glaucoma. Three novel drugs targeting FP receptors were identified, including latanoprostene bunod, NCX 470, and sepetaprost. Additionally, sustained drug delivery devices in early clinical phase trials included intracameral implants, punctal plugs, ocular rings, and contact lenses.
UNASSIGNED: NO hybrid FP receptor agonists and dual FP/EP3 receptor agonists may show promise as novel medical therapies with greater efficacy than approved prostaglandin analogs in clinical use, with a similar safety profile. Alternatively, drug delivery systems may provide a similar IOP lowering effect to existing agonists but overcome issues with patient compliance and convenience. A personalized approach to drug delivery devices may be required to ensure the most appropriate fit for the patient according to the invasiveness and duration of therapy desired.