The edition · Ophthalmology
Statin use linked to less glaucoma and fewer glaucoma procedures, long-term vision after palladium plaque for choroidal melanoma, and a combined operation for advanced angle closure
A large US database cohort finds statin users had lower open-angle glaucoma incidence and fewer treatment escalations, a 170-patient series reports 20-year vision outcomes after plaque brachytherapy for choroidal melanoma, and a prospective study follows a three-part procedure for advanced angle-closure glaucoma.
The edition in brief
A retrospective TriNetX cohort of 210,701 matched adults found statin use associated with lower open-angle glaucoma incidence at five years (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.82-0.89) and ten years (HR 0.90), and in 29,598 matched patients with glaucoma, with lower hazard of incisional surgery (HR 0.64 at five years), minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (HR 0.45) and selective laser trabeculoplasty (HR 0.40); it is observational and cannot show that statins protect against glaucoma. The FDA database lists a supplement dated 21 September 2026 to a generic acetazolamide application, with no detail on what changed. In 170 patients with at least ten years of follow-up after palladium-103 plaque brachytherapy for choroidal melanoma, local tumour control was 100%, one eye (0.6%) was enucleated, and visual acuity of 20/200 or better was retained in 92.7% at 12 years, 87.0% at 15 years and 63.7% at 20 years; tumours near the fovea or optic disc fared worse. A multicentre prospective study of 70 eyes with advanced angle-closure glaucoma without cataract found that combined peripheral iridectomy, goniosynechialysis and goniotomy lowered mean intraocular pressure from 29.4 to 16.4 mmHg at three years, with qualified success in 84.3% but complete success in 54.3%, and cataract surgery needed in ten eyes.
Statin use was associated with lower open-angle glaucoma incidence and fewer glaucoma procedures
Prescribe statins for their cardiovascular indications and treat the glaucoma association as a hypothesis for trials, not a reason to start or stop treatment.
FDA logs a supplement to a generic acetazolamide application
No action is needed from this listing alone; check the product label if your supplier reports a change.
Vision after palladium plaque for choroidal melanoma: 63.7% kept 20/200 or better at 20 years
Counsel patients that long-term tumour control is excellent after palladium plaque but vision erodes over decades, and plan lifelong retinopathy surveillance.
A painful red eye with haloes and a fixed mid-dilated pupil is angle closure until proved otherwise
Refer a suspected acute angle closure the same day.
A three-part operation lowered pressure for three years in advanced angle closure, with cataract as the main late cost
Consider the combined iridectomy, goniosynechialysis and goniotomy approach for selected advanced angle-closure eyes without cataract, and counsel that cataract surgery may follow.
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