Glaucoma is an eye disease that can lead to a permanent loss of sight if left untreated. The different types of glaucoma vary in intensity and seriousness, but all involve a higher-than-normal pressure in the eye (called intraocular pressure, or IOC) that is created by a lack of proper drainage of the eye's fluids. Medications can be used to reduce IOC and to help the eye produce less fluid. Glaucoma medicine, as with most medications, may cause some side effects in some people who take them.
Eye Changes
A class of glaucoma medication called prostaglandin analogs can cause some changes to the eye itself as side effects as the drugs promote fluid drainage. Blurry vision may be one symptom that people experience when using drugs of this type, which include travaprost, bimatoprost and latanaprost--all eye drops. The color of the eye may also change in up to 15 percent of people who use prostaglandin analog medications, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. The prescription eye drops may increase the amount of brown pigment that is present in the eye, and may make the iris darker over time.
Eye Pain
Eye discomfort is a common side effect with glaucoma medications, including prostaglandin analogs, alpha agonists and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Alpha agonists used to treat glaucoma include apraclonidine and brimonidine tartrate drops that both increase fluid drainage and decrease the amount of fluid the eye produces. Brinzolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor used in eye drop form, and decreases fluid production. All of these drops may cause burning and stinging of the eye as side effects.
Fatigue
Both alpha agonists and another drug type used to treat glaucoma, beta blockers, can leave a person drowsy and fatigued during the treatment process. Beta blockers as a remedy for eye disease are taken in eye drop form. The most commonly prescribed beta blocker eye drop is Timolol, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Beta blockers may also cause low blood pressure readings and a slowed heart rate in some people.
Depression
Depression can be a potentially serious side effect of glaucoma medicine, and should be discussed with a medical professional. People who feel depressed while using glaucoma medications may be able to switch to a different drug that will not affect them as profoundly. Medications that may lead to depression include beta blocker eye drops and oral forms of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, called acetazolamide and methazolamide.
