Most fluoroquinolones use not connected with glaucoma risk

Vancouver, Canada-A recent study published in the Journal of Glaucoma found that there was no detected increase in glaucoma risk with current, recent, or past use of systemic fluoroquinolones, but did find a minimal statistically significant increased risk with distant use.

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Fluoroquinolones include:

• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro, Bayer)

• Norfloxacin (Noroxin, Merck),

• Ofloxacin (Ocuflox, Allergan)

• Gemifloxacin (Factive, Vansen)

• Levofloxacin (Levaquin, Johnson & Johnson)

• Moxifloxacin (Avelox, Bayer)

The study looked at a cohort of 989,591 patients who visited an ophthalmologist in British Columbia, Canada, from 2000 to 2007. Of those patients, 178,264 were diagnosed with glaucoma and 891,320 were corresponding controls. For each case, five controls were selected and matched to the cases by age and calendar time. While no statistically significant association was found between systemic fluoroquinolones and glaucoma in patients who currently use the drug, used it recently, or used it in the past, there was a small statistically significant increased risk for those who had used the drug in the distant past.

Researchers recommended future studies should examine a potential delayed response with fluoroquinolones and glaucoma.