Survey of Ophthalmology
Volume 47, Issue 1 , Pages 63-67 , January 2002

Primary Drug Treatment for Glaucoma: Beta-Blockers Versus Other Medications

  • Robert L. Stamper, MD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint address: Robert L. Stamper, MD, UCSF Deptartment of Ophthalmology, 10 Kirkham Street, Room K-301, San Francisco, CA 94121

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☆ I. Individualize Initial Therapy

☆☆ Robert L. Stamper, MD

★ II. Choosing Beta-Blockers for Initial Medical Therapy for Glaucoma

★★ Stephen A. Wigginton, MD and Eve J. Higginbotham, MD

♢ Abstract. This set of Viewpoints articles examines the merits of beta-blockers versus other medications as the primary drug treatment for glaucoma. Ophthalmologists must balance issues such as efficacy, compliance, cost, and side effects when deciding on the appropriate medication to prescribe. Dr. Stamper stresses the advantages of tailoring the choice of medication to the needs of the individual patient. Drs. Wigginton and Higginbotham review the benefits of beta-blockers and present some of the disadvantages of the non-beta-blocker class of medications. (Surv Ophthalmol 47:63–73, 2002. © 2002 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.)

♢♢ Key words. beta-blockers • compliance • cost • glaucoma • side effects

♦ The author has no commercial or proprietary interest in any product or concept discussed in this article.

PII: S0039-6257(01)00286-7

Survey of Ophthalmology
Volume 47, Issue 1 , Pages 63-67 , January 2002

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