Send to a Friend | Text Size
  • Small Text
  • Medium Text
  • Large Text
Types of glaucoma

Primary Open-Angle
Glaucoma (POAG)11 Yanoff M, Duker JS. Ophthalmology. 1st ed. London, UK: Mosby International Ltd; 1999

Flash 8 is required for this site.

Download the FREE flash player

The most common type.
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common type of glaucoma, affecting about 1 percent of all Americans 40 years of age and over. There is no pain or swelling associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Instead, there's just a buildup of eye pressure and slow destruction of the optic nerve.

Sight loss is permanent.
By the time you notice you're having problems seeing and are displaying glaucoma symptoms, the damage is done. At first, you may find that although you can see things clearly in front of you, you miss objects to the side and out of the corner of your eye. Left untreated, you may find you suddenly have no side vision, and it looks like you're always peering down a long tunnel. Over time, your remaining vision decreases until there's nothing left.

The cause.
Researchers think pressure becomes elevated because the cells in the trabecular meshwork drainage system can't carry out their normal function. Also, as aging occurs, there are simply fewer functioning cells in the trabecular meshwork drainage system. Primary open-angle glaucoma may also be hereditary. While there is currently no cure for this chronic disease, it can be slowed or even halted with treatment, including medications and surgery.

  1. Yanoff M, Duker JS. Ophthalmology. 1st ed. London, UK: Mosby International Ltd; 1999

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

INDICATION
TRAVATAN Z® Solution is a prescription medicine to lower eye pressure in patients with glaucoma who have trouble tolerating their current medicine or for whom that medication is not working well enough.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Contraindications:
Do not use TRAVATAN Z® Solution if you are hypersensitive to travoprost or any other ingredients in this product.
Precautions and Warnings:
Some patients may experience darkening of the iris (the colored part of the eye) which is most noticeable in patients who only receive treatment in one eye. Patients may also experience growth and thickening of their eyelashes, and/or darkening of the skin around the eye. These changes may be permanent.
Side Effects:
The most common side effect with TRAVATAN Z® Solution is redness of the eye (also known as ocular hyperemia). Other side effects include eye discomfort, a feeling of something in the eye, eye pain and itching.

For more information, please see the full prescribing information