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Abstract #11911 Published in IGR 7-1
Effect of preservatives in chronic ocular therapy
Noecker RJ; Herrygers LAClinical and Surgical Ophthalmology 2003; 21: 88-94
BACKGROUND: Patients with glaucoma and/or dry eye disease often require frequent dosing of topical medications to control their ocular disease. Detergents (such as benzalkonium chloride) and oxidante (such as stabilized oxychloro complex) are commonly used as preservatives in multidose ophthalmic medications. METHOD: A literature review was performed to investigate the clinical implications of preservatives in ophthalmic medications that are used for chronic diseases such as glaucoma and/or dry eye disease. DISCUSSION: Animal histopatliologic studies and a recent patient study found that ophthalmic medications with benzalkonium chloride, unlike medications without this agent, were associated with lymphocytic infiltration of the conjunctiva. Ocular damage seemed to be correlated with the level of preservative. A recent rabbit study comparing benzalkonium chloride-preserved medication with stabilized oxychloro-preserved medication, found significantly less corneal damage in the group treated with the latter agent. CONCLUSION: The type and amount of ophthalmic preservative that patients' eyes are exposed to should be taken into account when treating patients with chronic ocular conditions such as glaucoma and/or dry eye disease.
Dr. R.J. Noecker, Department of Opthalmology, University of Arizona, 655 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85711, USA
Classification:
11.16 Vehicles, delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, formulation (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
