Cholinergics for glaucoma

Cholinergics for glaucoma
Examples
How It Works
Why It Is Used
How Well It Works
Side Effects
What To Think About
Credits

Content provided by Healthwise

Examples

Brand Name	Generic Name
Carboptic	carbachol

Brand Name	Generic Name
Phospholine Iodide	echothiophate iodide

Brand Name	Generic Name
Pilostat	pilocarpine hydrochloride

Most of these medications are given in eyedrop form. Pilocarpine can be given as a gel form (Pilopine).

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 color 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

These medications reduce pressure in the eyes by increasing the drainage of fluid (aqueous humor) 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

These medications have 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.

Echothiophate needs to be stopped several weeks before surgery if a certain general anesthetic (succinylcholine) is going to be used. Using echothiophate while receiving this anesthetic could increase the risk of breathing problems (respiratory paralysis).

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.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Credits

Author	Jeannette Curtis
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Last Updated	May 23, 2008

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Last updated:	May 23, 2008
Author:	Jeannette Curtis
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC

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