Prostaglandin Punctum Plugs for the treatment of Glaucoma
When it comes to the treatment of glaucoma, the first and the main problem that the doctors always find is poor patient compliance. The patient does not do this intentionally, but it can be difficult to remember one, two or even sometimes three different drops per day, especially when the patient is asymptomatic.
Another group of patients who suffer with poor compliance is the elderly patients who present with glaucoma. Some of these patients suffer from memory problems or live in assisted living arrangements that have subpar standards.
The newest solution to this problem is punctum plugs that contain the prostaglandin analogue drugs that the patient needs to treat glaucoma without the hassle of remembering their drops every day. This is an exciting concept for many ophthalmologists who have to watch their patients slowly lose vision, all because of poor compliance.
How does The Prostaglandin Analogue Plug Work?
The plugs are hydrogel based and are inserted directly into the lacrimal punctum of each eye that has been given the diagnosis of glaucoma. While it is unusual for only one eye to be diagnoses with glaucoma, trauma and different events can lead to only one eye having the disease.
The plugs look no different from the silicone plugs that are frequently used to treat dry eyes, only these plugs deliver prostaglandin analogues through a sustained release dosage, as a measure to control the patients eye pressure.
Because glaucoma is a serious ocular disease which sometimes can be without any notable symptoms to the patient, compliance is the key factor in preventing patients from losing their peripheral vision and in severe end-stage glaucoma, their central vision can be lost as well. With the Postaglandin Punctum Plugs in place, the patient will receive daily doses of the pressure lowering drugs that they require without the hassle of remembering to take their drops daily.
Through sustained release of the medication, patients will receive the correct dosage, free from worry. When the plug has completed its cycle of use, it simply washed out through the lacrimal system and new Postaglandin Punctum Plugs replace it. Glaucoma control has never been easier, or more dependable.
