Prolonged Life from Glaucoma Drugs


The February edition of Archives of Ophthalmology sees the release of an interesting new study into the affects treatment of glaucoma has over those who do not treat the disease. Perhaps worrying for some, the study does show some indication that patients who take drugs to treat the disease have a significantly lower chance of dying.

This latest research was conducted by Dr. Joshua Stein of the University of Michigan and a team of researchers using data collected from 2003 to 2007. 21,506 glaucoma sufferers aged 40 and above were used in the study to detect the chances of mortality in various different medications used to treat glaucoma and whether there was a significance in using this alone, combined or not at all. The results were favoured towards drug treatments for the disease and did show that the drugs on the whole didn’t harm the general health of the patients. During the period the study was conducted there were 237 deaths and from this it was deciphered that those patients who took drugs in treatment for their glaucoma were at a 74% less chance of an early death. Dr. Stein explains that the benefits of the drugs could be due to things such as lowering blood pressure, helping kidney function and improving their overall health.

However, Dr. Stein shows the need for further investigations into these results as he explains that it cannot be determined as to just what the drugs are doing to benefit the patients. It needs clearer indication as to whether regular administrations of the drug are the key or whether it is down to the patient’s lifestyles as some may be healthier and have better medical care than others. However, Dr. Stein does sound hopeful in the often debated issue as to whether or not glaucoma can increase the risk of an earlier death itself by suggesting that the results show that glaucoma isn’t responsible for premature death or the onset for death later on.

9th February 2010

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