People suffering from increased eye pressure are thought be at higher risk of glaucoma that one of the major cause of blindness. Glaucoma damages optic nerve of the eye. It usually occurs when the fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly increases and damages the optic nerve.
Often there are no obvious symptoms of the condition, but a comprehensive eye exam can detect it. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zioptan (tafluprost ophthalmic solution) to help diminish the increased eye pressure in people suffering open-angle glaucoma. The drug is also approved for patients suffering ocular hypertension or higher-than-normal eye pressure.
Patients suffering ocular hypertension are often believed to have a greater odd of developing glaucoma. Zioptan medication is available as an eye drop that is supposed to be used once in the evening per day. The approval was made on the basis of five clinical studies involving nine hundred patients, sated Zioptan drug maker Merck.
Patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension treated with Zioptan in the evening showed reduced eye pressure after three and six months of the treatment. The most common side effects including elevated pigmentation of the iris and eyelids and changes in the thickness and color of the eyelashes.
Edward Cox, M.D., M.P.H, director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research stated, approval of Zioptan’s gives a substitute treatment choice for patients living with this potentially blinding disease. Merck warned that the drug should not be used by children or by pregnant women. It also should be used with caution among nursing women and by people with edema.