Mitch Ibach, OD, FAAO, said that medication optimization is key when taking the interventional approach to glaucoma.
Mitch Ibach, OD, FAAO, from Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, presented an optometric perspective on interventional glaucoma at the AOA Optometry’s Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. His core message is that optometrists should be active participants in interventional care, not limited to prescribing topical medications, and should thoughtfully sequence multiple therapeutic modalities to best serve each individual patient.
He began by emphasizing medication optimization, advocating for consolidation of therapy where possible. This includes moving patients to fixed-dose combinations to simplify regimens and reduce preservative load, and considering preservative-free formulations to minimize ocular surface toxicity. Ibach noted that preservatives can contribute to significant comorbidities, including conditions such as neurotrophic keratitis, and that these risks should inform decisions about long-term topical therapy…