[The circadian effects of antiglaucomatous drugs].

PURPOSE: To collect data reflecting the current knowledge on the interactions of medical antiglaucomatous therapy and circadian variations.

METHOD: Review of the available literature published on this topic in common electronic databases.

RESULTS

The IOP-reducing effect of a molecule throughout the day depends on many parameters and still remains poorly investigated. It is well known that beta-blockers have a poor efficacy at night, while prostaglandins prevent nocturnal IOP variations because of their original mechanism.

DISCUSSION: The lack of a 24-hour IOP recording device limits our ability to track the effect of antiglaucomatous drugs over 24 hours, an important point because these antiglaucomatous drugs vary in terms of their capacity to reduce IOP over a 24-hour period.

CONCLUSION

Assessing the effect of antiglaucomatous therapy on a 24-hour basis remains very difficult. However, in the next few Years, this could become an emerging focus point in the management of glaucoma.