Geriatrist’s View on the Glaucoma and Problems of Its Treatment in Multi-Morbid Seniors

Overview

Glaucoma in multi-morbid patients is frequently treated by specialists non-ophthalmologists. The growing number of elderly patients with glaucoma and comparatively small knowledge on this disease among the medical workers brought us to review recent findings on the aetiology, pathogenesis, risks of development and namely the problems of glaucoma treatment, possible drug interactions and their side effects. Considering the growing incidence of glaucoma with age, general practitioners, internists, geriatrists and other specialists will face the problems of drug interactions and global or ophthalmological side effects during the polypharmacological treatment of their multi-morbid seniors. They article gives basic information on the problems of using antiglaucoma drugs and their effects on the organism and eyes. Effects of some foodstuff and medicaments used in therapy of other disease on the intraocular pressure and glaucoma are also summarise.

Key words:
glaucoma, multi-morbidity, medicaments, interaction, side effects.