Travoprost
Travoprost, sold under the brand name Travatan among others, is a medication used to treat high pressure inside the eye including glaucoma. Specifically it is used for open angle glaucoma when other agents are not sufficient. It is used as an eye drop. Effects generally occur within two hours.
Common side effects include red eyes, blurry vision, eye pain, dry eyes, and change in color of the eyes. Other significant side effects may include cataracts. Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is generally not recommended. It is a prostaglandin analog and works by increasing the outflow of aqueous fluid from the eyes.
Travoprost was approved for medical use in the United States and in the European Union in 2001. It is available as a generic medication in the United Kingdom. In 2020, it was the 304th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1million prescriptions.
Medical uses
Travoprost is used to treat high pressure inside the eye including glaucoma. Specifically it is used for open angle glaucoma when other agents are not sufficient.Side effects
Possible side effects are:- blurred vision
- eyelid redness
- permanent darkening of eyelashes
- eye discomfort
- permanent darkening of the iris to brown
- burning sensation during use
- thickening of the eyelashes
- inflammation of the prostate gland, restricting urine flow
Pharmacology
Mechanism of action
It is a synthetic prostaglandin analog that works by increasing the outflow of aqueous fluid from the eyes.Like other analogs of prostaglandin F2α such as tafluprost and latanoprost, travoprost is an ester prodrug of the free acid, which acts as an agonist at the prostaglandin F receptor, increasing outflow of aqueous fluid from the eye and thus lowering intraocular pressure.