Anti-glaucoma medicine not available in market

Rawalpindi : Acetazolamide, a most essential medication that is needed for management of glaucoma and to help relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of serious complications among patients of glaucoma has not been available in open market for a long time almost all across the country.

Acetazolamide that is sold under different trade names including AZM, Diamox, Acemox, Evamox and Setacar is a medication used not only to treat glaucoma but also epilepsy, attitude sickness, periodic paralysis, idiopathic intracranial hypertension and heart failure induced edema apart from other health problems.

Acetazolamide is a “water pill” (diuretic) that is used to decrease the amount of fluid that can build up in the eye. It is also used to decrease a build-up of body fluids (edema) caused by congestive heart failure or certain medications.

There has been a shortage of Diamox and all its replacement medicines as these are not available in open market for over a year, said a salesman serving at a leading chain of medical stores in town.

He added that few chemists are exploiting the situation and selling smuggled medications to patients in black.

A pack of AZM and almost all its replacement costs less than Rs50 but chemists who have the medicine are selling it for Rs500 and even up to Rs3000 in black, said Haider, attendant of a patient while talking to ‘The News’.

It is hardly possible to have acetazolamide in oral form in markets in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi despite the fact that it is very important medicine being the only remedy in various eye-related problems and we are also much worried on the situation, said Assistant Professor of Opthalmology at Rawalpindi Medical University and Head of Eye Department at Holy Family Hospital Dr. Fawad Niazi while talking to ‘The News’ on Thursday. In glaucoma patients, he added the oral medicine is used to reduce intraocular pressure especially when it is very high and uncontrolled even after usage of eye drops.

Terming acetazolamide as one of the most potential sight saving drugs, Professor Niazi said it is the only drug to treat papilledema which is the swelling of optic nerves resulting from raised intracranial pressure. Professor of Opthalmology at Sahiwal Medical College Dr. Ali Raza when contacted by ‘The News’ on Thursday said oral acetazolamide is short in almost all open markets in other cities of the province as well.