EyeWorld Asia-Pacific September 2012 Issue

56 September 2012 EWAP PhArmA “The mono-doses need a certain degree of manipulation by the hands of the patients,” he said. “So an elderly patient with rheumatic arthritis, for example, will not be able to use it well.” Also, the tip of the single dose bottle is not as forgiving as that of the multi- dose. “The tip of the mono-doses are relatively traumatic,” he said. “The patient has to be very well educated so he doesn’t traumatize his cornea while he is applying it.” Glaucoma therapy as a whole is continuing to evolve. Still, even with emerging new approaches such as the use of micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) devices, many of which are already CE marked, Dr. Shaarawy doesn’t see this as supplanting combination agents. “At this point, we don’t have a procedure that would leave the majority of our patients medically free of medications for the rest of their lives.” Dr. Brown thinks that if anything, the use of MIGS may signal an increasing role for combination drugs, which are likely to be used in conjunction with medical therapy. “It will be what medication can get the best pressure lowering with the fewest side effects and the least hassle,” Dr. Brown said. “The combination medications are often more effective than the single medication so they will definitely have a role with MIGS.” Dr. Shaarawy is looking forward to having fixed complications in different classes. “We are still at the mercy of having to ask the patients to put in the drops once or twice a day, which is ridiculous in this day and age.” In the near future he Dynamic - from page 55 envisions having a slow release combination agent at the ready that could be used perhaps once a month or even once a year. “We should not be far from that,” Dr. Shaarawy said. EWAP Editors’ note: Dr. Brown has financial interests with Merck and Allergan. Dr. Novack has financial interests with numerous firms in the ophthalmic development area. Dr. Shaarawy has no financial interests related to this article. Contact information Brown: 404-252-1194, reaymary@comcast.net Novack: 415-472-2181, gary_novack@pharmalogic.com Shaarawy: +41 22 3828 400, Tarek.Shaarawy@hcuge.ch Ordinary Membership Benefits Reduced registration fees at APACRS congresses Free Subscription to EyeWorld Asia-Pacific News Magazine Access to Members Only area on the APACRS Website Membership Certificate Voting Rights