Travoprost in the management of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension

Philippe Denis¹, David Covert², Anthony Realini³

¹Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France; ²Alcon Research, Ltd., Fort Worth, TX, USA; ³West Virginia University Eye Institute, Morgantown, WV, USA

Abstract: Travoprost is a member of the prostaglandin analogue class of intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering drugs used to treat ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Like other prostaglandin analogues, travoprost lowers IOP by enhancing the egress of aqueous humor through both the uveoscleral and trabecular outflow channels. This review summarizes the published data regarding the safety and efficacy of travoprost. Travoprost provides statistically significant and clinically relevant reductions in mean IOP, of the order of 6.5–9.0 mmHg in most studies. In addition, travoprost provides consistent diurnal IOP control, with statistically significant IOP reductions persisting up to 84 hours post-dose. Travoprost has a highly favorable safety profile; most adverse events are cosmetic in nature (such as iris hyperpigmentation and eyelash growth), although more serious adverse events (such as iritis and macular edema) have been associated with travoprost and the other prostaglandin drugs. In some markets, travoprost is available in a fixed combination with timolol; clinical studies have demonstrated that the fixed combination – dosed once daily – lowers IOP by 7–11.5 mmHg. In conclusion, travoprost provides safe and effective reduction of IOP, with convenient once-daily dosing, supporting its role as primary monotherapy.

Keywords: travoprost, prostaglandin analogue, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, treatment