Glaucoma Flashcards
What is glaucoma?
A diverse group of diseases united by a common theme in which IOP is too high for the optic nerve to function properly resulting in the loss of some or all vision
Intraocular Pressure
- Generated by aqueous humor production and outflow normally in balance
- Elevated in glaucoma due to decreased outflow (NOT overproduction)
- Prevalence of glaucoma in dogs 1.7% in last decade (similar to 1-2% in man)
Glaucoma Diagnosis
- Signalment, history and clinical signs
- Menace responses, cotton ball tracking, and maze testing to assess vision
- PLRs and dazzle reflexes to assess visual pathway
- Ophthalmoscopy
- Tonometry (normal IOP 15-25mmHg)
- Gonioscopy (referral procedure)
glaucoma (rankin)
Primary glaucoma - breed related
– American Cocker Spaniel
– Basset Hound
– Chow Chow
– Shar Pei
– Boston Terrier
– Fox Terrier, Wire
– Norwegian Elkhound
– Siberian Husky
(43 breeds)
glaucoma (rankin)
Owner may report:
– Blepharospasm
– Nictitating membrane protrusion
– Red eye
– Cloudy eye
– Mydriasis
– Decreased vision
glaucoma (rankin)
Clinical Signs of Glaucoma
- Ophthalmic findings
– Red eye (episcleral injection)
– Corneal edema (blue)
– Mydriasis
– Lens subluxation/luxation
– Painful!!! (blepharospasm)
– Buphthalmia
– Retinal and optic nerve changes
– Decreased vision
Diagnosis
- Tonometry (normal 15-25mmHg)
- Ideally both eyes should have roughly the same IOP (>5mmHg (or > 20%) difference should make you wonder why…)
- Gonioscopy
- Use of a special lens to visualize the iridocorneal angle
IOP can be affected by…
- Normal diurnal variation (highest in the morning)
- 2-4 mmHg in normal dog
- Sedatives, tranquilizers, and anesthetic drugs can lower IOP (ketamine may increase IOP)
- Patient cooperation
- Minimize pressure applied on eyelids and neck!
glaucoma (rankin)
Primary Glaucoma
- Breed related
- Always bilateral
- “Good” eye will be lost in median of 8 months
- With prophylactic therapy, median time to onset of glaucoma is 31 months
glaucoma (rankin)
Secondary Glaucoma Signs/Causes
glaucoma (rankin)
- *Acute vs. Chronic?**
- *▪ Acute**
– Less than 24 hours old
– Potential for vision?
glaucoma (rankin)
- *Acute vs. Chronic?**
- *• Chronic**
– >>24 hours old
– Buphthalmia (big, blue…..
glaucoma (rankin)
Glaucoma Therapy
- goals
- control of intraocular pressure
- Goals
– Save or regain, and maintain vision
– Achieve and maintain comfort - Control of intraocular pressure
– Target “safe” level
– Avoid progressive optic nerve and retinal damage with associated visual deficits
glaucoma (rankin)
Therapy for Acute Glaucoma
Treat aggressively if chance for vision!!!
Referral
- Emergency treatment
– Topical prostaglandin analogues - Latanoprost 0.005% (Xalatan®)
- Travaprost 0.004% ( Travatan ®)
– Topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors - Dorzolamide 2% ( Trusopt ®)
- Brinzolamide 1% ( Azopt ®)
– Beta blocker - Timolol 0.5 & 0.25%
- Betaxolol 0.5%
- Hyperosmotic agents
– Dehydrate vitreous
– Last about 6-10 hours
– IV mannitol - Dosed at 1-2 grams/kg
- Administered slowly over 20 30 minutes
– Glycerin - 1-2 g/kg orally
- May produce emesis
– Withhold water for 4 hours - Contraindications
– Renal disease
– Cardiovascular disease
– Dehydration
– Diabetes (glycerin)
– Other debilitating disease - Ophthalmologist referral
- Maintenance therapy
– Latanoprost 0.005% q12 to 24 hr
– Dorzolamide 2% q6 to 8 hr
– Timolol 0.5% q12 hr - **Treat the “normal
– Timolol 0.5% q12 hr - Frequent IOP checks for monitoring of BOTH eyes
– 1 day, 3-5 days, then weekly, monthly, q2 to 3 months
glaucoma (rankin)
Chronic Glaucoma
- signs
- treatment
- Irreversibly blind (duration >72 hours)
- Buphthalmic (big, blue…blind)
– Except puppies - Absent dazzle reflex
- Absent consensual PLR to fellow eye
- Palliative procedure
– Enucleation
– Evisceration
– Chemical ablation
glaucoma (rankin)
Glaucoma Medications
- Topical prostaglandin derivatives
- PGF2α derivatives
– Latanaprost 0.005% (Xalatan®)
– Travoprost 0.004% ( Travatan ®)
– Increase uveoscleral outflow
– Species specific - Causes miosis but does not lower IOP in cats
- Ineffective in horses
– Used SID (in evening) or twice daily - Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
– Dorzolamide 2% ( Trusopt ®)
– Brinzolamide 1% ( Azopt ®)
– TID to QID treatment
– Decrease aqueous humor production
– May be topically irritating - Dorzolamide pH 5.6 vs brinzolamide pH 7.5
– Oral CAI rarely used due to systemic side effects - Sympatholytic agents (adrenergic antagonists) Beta blockers
– 0.25% & 0.5% Timolol (ß1 and ß2), Betaxolol (ß1)BID
– Inhibits ß receptors on ciliary epithelium
– Decrease aqueous humor production
– May also increase aqueous humor outflow
– Mild miosis
– Potential adverse effects - Bradycardia
- Exacerbation of asthma in cats
- Mild decrease in tear production
- Cholinergic miotics
– Direct-acting parasympathomimetic agent
▪ 2% pilocarpine
– Indirect-acting parasympathomimetic agent:
▪ 0.25% or 0.125% demecarium bromide (compounded)
– Increase aqueous humor outflow
– Usually not effective alone
– Contraindicated in uveitis and anterior lens luxation
– I do NOT recommend using topical pilocarpine (too irritating!)
– Demecarium bromide for prophylactic therapy SID
▪ Often administered with topical steroid SID
glaucoma (rankin)
Therapy for Secondary Glaucoma
Treat the underlying problem!
– Lens luxation - refer for surgery if still visual
– Uveitis - treat the inflammation
– Intraocular neoplasia - enucleation?
– Hyphema - determine cause of hyphema
glaucoma (rankin)
Surgical Therapy for Glaucoma
- goals
Increase aqueous humor drainage
Decrease aqueous humor production
glaucoma (rankin)
Surgical Therapy - Increase Outflow
- Gonioimplants
– Tube in AC drains fluid to subconjunctival space
– Fibrosis leads to early failure - Filtering procedures:
– Creating holes in iris, sclera, ciliary body
– Low success rate in veterinary patients
Surgical Therapy Decrease Production
- Destruction of ciliary body
– Cyclophotocoagulation-diode or YAG laser - Transcleral
- Endolaser
- Both - postoperative pressure spike, cataract formation, inflammation
- Can perform both cyclophotocoagulation and gonioimplant at the same time…increase “success” rate to 58% visual in 1 year