STEROID-INDUCED GLAUCOMA

Course overview

STEROIDS ARE ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY PRESCRIBED DRUGS, USED MAINLY TO TREAT VARIOUS AUTOIMMUNE AND INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NUMEROUS BENEFITS, STEROID USAGE CAN ALSO CAUSE MANY ADVERSE EFFECTS. SOME OF THESE EFFECTS ARE ON THE EYE, THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING STEROID-INDUCED GLAUCOMA AND CATARACTS. OCULAR HYPERTENSION CAN ALSO OCCUR AFTER INTRANASAL, INHALATIONAL, SYSTEMIC USE, AND DERMATOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS. SEVERAL FACTORS SEEM TO PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN CAUSING ELEVATED INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE (IOP), MOSTLY DUE TO THE INCREASE OF THE RESISTANCE IN THE OUTFLOW MECHANISMS OF THE TRABECULAR MESHWORK (TM). THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES STEROID-INDUCED GLAUCOMA AND ITS PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.