Glaucoma

How do you translate a good idea into a physical, purchasable product? Technical, medical, regulatory and business skills are a must, as is an immense ability to resist pressure – especially when your device measures it.

In Australia, the highly successful collaborative care approach for glaucoma patients has been ripped apart by the optometrists’ regulatory body. Can it be repaired? Ophthalmologists are making a determined effort.

Management approaches for best outcome vary by location. Glaucoma is exceeded only by cataracts as a cause of blindness. In 2002, the World Health Organization estimated that 12.3 million people worldwide had been blinded by glaucoma.

Free glaucoma simulation app reinforces the importance of taking medication. A recently-launched free app for iPhones and iPads will help newly diagnosed glaucoma patients better understand how the condition will affect their vision as it worsens, reinforcing the importance of taking prescribed eye drops and attending eye clinic.

Is the future of eyedrops preservative-free? Itching. Irritation. Dry eye. In extreme cases, keratosis and scarring. Adverse events occur in one in 10 patients who are on long-term therapy with eyedrops for conditions like glaucoma or uveitis. For many, these side-effects are caused by preservatives.