A retrospective analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) identified several drugs associated with reports of angle-closure glaucoma. The study, conducted by researchers at the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, analyzed over 11.7 million adverse event reports from 2004 to 2023.

While well-known medications like topiramate and citalopram were frequently reported, the analysis also revealed significant signals for lesser-known drugs such as olanzapine, phentermine, and ranibizumab. Disproportionality analysis techniques were used to differentiate drug adverse events from unrelated reports.

The study found that females and those aged 40-65 were more commonly affected. Researchers emphasized that while FAERS analysis is valuable for hypothesis generation, clinical trials remain essential for definitively establishing causality between specific drugs and angle-closure glaucoma onset. “While further investigation and monitoring are needed, clinician awareness of these findings is important” the study authors wrote.

The study will be published in Ophthalmology Glaucoma, a journal collaboration between the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Glaucoma Society, and is available online.