Medicines Update; for optical practitioners - Part 9.(eye products now available)

Publication: Optician

Publication Date: 30-NOV-01

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Reed Business Information Ltd.

Professor Michael Doughty provides an overview of eye medicines and other eye care products, introduced in the last three months

This update is designed to keep the UK optometrist up to date with all aspects of eye medicines and other eye products that can be used to manage a range of minor-to-moderate non-sight threatening conditions or diseases that can affect the external eye. In addition, the series is designed to keep the optometrist fully informed of the availability and developments of ophthalmic medicines for the management of severe eye diseases and in systemic medicines that could have an impact on the eye or vision, including those medications likely encountered in shared-care schemes. This part will concentrate on a range of new products.

Five new ophthalmic products for the UK

This quarter sees the introduction of another option for management of red eye with a non-medicinal product, another 'generic' option for the management of hay fever, and an important PoM to P change in ocular anti-allergy medications. A completely new anti-viral drug for topical ophthalmic use has been introduced, as well as a new combination anti-glaucoma drug. A summary of these new products can be found in Table 1.

A new product in the range of eye brighteners has been introduced, namely Rohto V (Figure 1; pronounced ro-toe-vee). The product contains well-known ingredients such as the decongestant naphazoline to promote whitening of the eye and the astringent zinc sulphate. In addition, the product contains a number of natural ingredients (including pro-vitamin B5, also known as panthenol) designed to cool and soothe tired eyes, as well as take away the redness. Panthenol has been used in a number of European-marketed ophthalmic products with a similar use. It is a non-medicinal product so, as with similar products, no claims are made on the therapeutic efficacy of the ingredients. The product is aimed at individuals with mild ocular symptoms associated with...

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