Drugs for the treatment of glaucoma: Targets, structure-activity relationships and clinical research

Eur J Med Chem. 2021 Dec 15:226:113842. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113842. Epub 2021 Sep 11.

Abstract

Glaucoma is the third leading cause of blindness and impairment of vision worldwide, after refractive errors and cataracts. According to the survey, the number of people with glaucoma is more than 76 million, with projections increasing to 112 million by 2040. With the coming of an aging society, the number of people suffering from glaucoma will increase day by day. Glaucoma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by damage to the head of the optic nerve and visual field. High intraocular pressure is a major risk and cause of glaucoma optic neuropathy. Therefore, drug lowering intraocular pressure therapy is still the first-line therapy in clinical practice. Here, the targets, structure-activity relationship, and clinical progress of drugs for the treatment of glaucoma are reviewed.

Keywords: Drug treatment; Glaucoma; High intraocular pressure; OHT.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Drug Design*
  • Glaucoma / drug therapy*
  • Glaucoma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure / drug effects
  • Molecular Structure
  • Ophthalmic Solutions / chemical synthesis
  • Ophthalmic Solutions / chemistry
  • Ophthalmic Solutions / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Ophthalmic Solutions