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Suggest Medication To Reduce Eye Pressure
Question: Hello: My name is XXXX, and I'm a fifty-year-old woman. I've been fairly health except for two back surgeries, and I'm battling menopause and very bad sleep problems,which I've had for years, even before menopause. The doctor prescribed 50 mg of apo-trozodone (I try to take half) but I read that one of the contraindications was glaucoma risk. I have a high prescription - -6.50 and -8.00, and I'm already at high risk of developing glaucoma. My 83-year-old mother has advanced AMD in one eye, so I realize that I will eventually develop both diseases; hopefully I won't lose all my sight in both eyes, at least, not in the next few years. Is there another medication I can use that doesn't increase eye pressure? It's a risk I don't want to take. Thank you, XXXX
Brief Answer:
It is contraindicated in angle closure glaucoma.
Detailed Answer:
Hello Madam
Welcome to Health care Magic.
I am Dr. Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
I reviewed your history.
I can understand your concern no need to be worried.
It seems from the history that you are having high myopia, family history of age related macular degeneration (AMD) and few risk factors for glaucoma.
Trazodone is an tetracyclic antidepressant and most of the antidepressants can cause an acute attack of angle closure in people with narrow angles, hence these has to be used with care in people with narrow angles or with angle closure glaucoma. However they are safe in open angle glaucoma.
Hence I advice you to consult ophthalmologist for evaluation to look for whether you are having narrow angles or prone for narrow angle glaucoma. If it is present and if the antidepressants are absolutely necessary then you can go for prophylactic laser iridotomy as a safety measure.
Or you can consult your doctor to prescribe drugs from other groups with lesser risk like monoamino oxidase inhibitors
Even these carry risk but comparatively lesser compared to tetracyclic or tri cyclic antidepressants.
Coming to the risk of AMD treatment options are available which will prevent vision loss if at all it develops. Use of antioxidant drugs will be of help to prevent onset of AMD.
Hence I advice you to consult your ophthalmologist to find out if you are at risk of angle closure and if it is present then to undergo modification in treatment as I suggested.
If the risk is not present then no need to worry.
Hope this is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
It is contraindicated in angle closure glaucoma.
Detailed Answer:
Hello Madam
Welcome to Health care Magic.
I am Dr. Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
I reviewed your history.
I can understand your concern no need to be worried.
It seems from the history that you are having high myopia, family history of age related macular degeneration (AMD) and few risk factors for glaucoma.
Trazodone is an tetracyclic antidepressant and most of the antidepressants can cause an acute attack of angle closure in people with narrow angles, hence these has to be used with care in people with narrow angles or with angle closure glaucoma. However they are safe in open angle glaucoma.
Hence I advice you to consult ophthalmologist for evaluation to look for whether you are having narrow angles or prone for narrow angle glaucoma. If it is present and if the antidepressants are absolutely necessary then you can go for prophylactic laser iridotomy as a safety measure.
Or you can consult your doctor to prescribe drugs from other groups with lesser risk like monoamino oxidase inhibitors
Even these carry risk but comparatively lesser compared to tetracyclic or tri cyclic antidepressants.
Coming to the risk of AMD treatment options are available which will prevent vision loss if at all it develops. Use of antioxidant drugs will be of help to prevent onset of AMD.
Hence I advice you to consult your ophthalmologist to find out if you are at risk of angle closure and if it is present then to undergo modification in treatment as I suggested.
If the risk is not present then no need to worry.
Hope this is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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