Have you ever had red or itchy eyes? It’s best to check with an ophthalmologist to make sure what medicine you can use. This is because not all over-the-counter eye medications are safe for your eyes, one of which is eye drops containing corticosteroids.
Corticosteroid eye drops are known to trigger glaucoma. Check out the explanation regarding glaucoma due to corticosteroids below.
Is it safe to use corticosteroids as eye drops?
In general, eye drops containing corticosteroids or steroids are safe to use to treat irritation and inflammation of the eye.
Corticosteroids themselves consist of various types. Several types of eye drops are available, including the following.
1. Dexamethasone.
2. Hydrocortisone.
3. Prednisolone.
Just like other types of corticosteroid drugs, corticosteroids in eye drops work by mimicking natural hormones in the body that can change the body’s immune system to deal with symptoms of inflammation.
This medication can help relieve eye symptoms, such as redness, burning, and swelling.
These symptoms can appear in the eye after eye tissue damage occurs due to injury, surgery, allergies, infection, entry of a foreign object into the eye, or exposure to chemicals, heat, or radiation.
However, to be safe, you generally have to comply with all recommendations from your doctor or pharmacist in using drops that contain corticosteroids.
Recommendations that must be obeyed include the dosage of the drug, how long the drug is used when the drug is used, and how to store the drug.
Can corticosteroid eye drops cause glaucoma?
Corticosteroid eye drops are known to cause glaucoma if used for too long or at too high a dose.
Glaucoma due to eye drops containing steroids is a type of secondary glaucoma or glaucoma that occurs as a complication or side effect of other health conditions.
Glaucoma itself is damage to the eye nerve. In most cases, damage to the optic nerve is caused by high pressure on the eyeball.
For the use of external (topical) corticosteroid drugs, an increase in eye pressure can generally occur between 3-6 weeks after routine use.
However, in children, the body’s response to corticosteroid drugs can occur more quickly, which is about a few days after the first use of the drug.
Even so, if you follow all the advice from doctors and pharmacists, the risk of developing glaucoma due to corticosteroid drugs can be avoided.
How does corticosteroid-induced glaucoma occur?
Reporting from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the risk of glaucoma due to the use of eye drops containing corticosteroids was discovered through research conducted by Drs. Gordon and McLean.
The study showed that increased intraocular pressure (IOP) triggered by the use of corticosteroid drugs can cause glaucoma.
Corticosteroid drugs are reported to cause an increase in eye pressure and dilation of the pupils of the eyes.
If this condition continues to occur, you are also at risk of developing glaucoma.
In another study, 2.8% of eyes that experienced IOP due to eye drops with corticosteroids developed glaucoma.
Each type of corticosteroid has a different risk of causing an increase in intraocular pressure.
Eye drops containing dexamethasone or prednisolone are known to have a higher potential to cause IOP compared to fluorometholone, hydrocortisone, and Rimexolone.
Corticosteroid-induced glaucoma usually has no characteristic symptoms at first. However, glaucoma symptoms in children can be more severe than those in adults.
If it is not treated and enters the advanced phase, the symptoms that are felt can range from impaired vision to blindness.
Therefore, routine control of eye pressure while using corticosteroids is a way of early detection that can be done.
Who is most at risk for glaucoma from corticosteroids?
All users of corticosteroid eye drops that are not in accordance with the recommendations for use have a risk of developing glaucoma.
However, you have a higher risk of developing glaucoma from corticosteroid drugs if you have any of the following conditions.
1. Primary open-angle glaucoma.
2. High eye minus (above minus 6).
3. Diabetes mellitus disease.
4. Rheumatic disease.
5. A previous history of increased intraocular pressure or in your family members.
6. Very young (less than 6 years old) or older.
7. Connective tissue disease.
8. Penetrating keratoplasty, especially in eyes with Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy or keratoconus.
Can glaucoma caused by corticosteroids be cured?
In most cases, increased intraocular pressure due to corticosteroid drugs can return to normal after drug use is stopped.
However, do not stop using the drug without consulting a doctor first.
Unfortunately, if glaucoma eye nerve disorders have occurred, this condition cannot be cured.
Treatment for glaucoma sufferers aims to save the good optic nerve and prevent blindness.
As a disease that can cause blindness, glaucoma due to corticosteroids can actually be prevented by not using eye drops containing corticosteroids outside the supervision and advice of an ophthalmologist.