How are ophthalmic medications used during pregnancy?

Little is known about the use of ophthalmic drugs during pregnancy and lactation. Topical ophthalmic drugs can be absorbed systemically through the nasolacrimal duct, and the potential side effects and teratogenicity caused by this should be noted. The use of drugs during pregnancy and lactation should adhere to the following two principles: 1, under the premise of curing the disease, the application of the smallest dose, the shortest time. 2, after dropping the drug, compression of the nasolacrimal duct can reduce the systemic absorption of the drug. The index finger presses between the inner canthus and the nose for 3-5 minutes. The chronic course of glaucoma requires continuous medication, and treatment during pregnancy has its own peculiarities. Beta-blockers are thought to be relatively safe drugs, but they should be avoided in early pregnancy and the lowest dose should be used at other times during pregnancy. They should be discontinued 2-3 days before delivery to minimize the potential effects of the drug on contractions and to prevent neonatal complications such as bradycardia and asphyxia. beta-blockers can be secreted by breast milk, and the infant should be observed for signs (e.g., bradycardia, asphyxia), and it is recommended that pregnant women taking the medication refrain from breastfeeding. There are few reports on the effects of pupil-contracting drugs, but transient muscle weakness has been reported in neonates born to pregnant women using systemic cholinesterase inhibitors. There is also a case of a healthy infant born to a pregnant woman who was treated with pilocarpine throughout the pregnancy. Pilocarpine in pregnant women in labor can cause fever, seizures, crying and sweating in the newborn. Oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have been reported to cause malformations in humans and animals and should be avoided during pregnancy. Epinephrine passes through the placenta and may affect contractions and reduce uterine blood flow causing fetal hypoxia. However, there is no information on the effects of dipivefirin on pregnancy. Other pupil-dilating drugs, such as atropine, homatropine, and scopolamine used systemically can cause small fetal malformations. Scopolamine can also cause tachycardia, fever, and lethargy in newborns. No information is available on the adverse effects of short-acting anticholinergic drugs such as tropicamide and cyclopentone. Teratogenic effects of topically applied corticosteroids have not been demonstrated. Animal studies have shown that systemic application can cause embryonic malformations, but the effects on humans have not been confirmed. There have been reports of an infant with cataracts in both eyes from a pregnant woman who took corticosteroids throughout her pregnancy. Systemically applied corticosteroids can be secreted through breast milk, affecting offspring growth and inhibiting endogenous corticosteroid production in the newborn. Administration of corticosteroids is a relative contraindication to breastfeeding. Topical antibiotics are necessary during pregnancy for eye infections that jeopardize vision. Topical erythromycin Polymyxin B is considered to be the safest and no teratogenic effects have been reported. Aminoglycosides such as gentamicin Neomycin and tobramycin can cause ototoxicity in the fetus, but routine topical administration is different from systemic application. Theoretically, application of sulfonamides in late pregnancy can cause hyperbilirubinemia in infants, and application of tetracycline in mid- to late pregnancy can cause staining of milk teeth, so it should also be avoided during lactation. Antiviral drugs have potential teratogenic effects and should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. Antifungal drugs can pass through the placenta, but there is no information about their teratogenic effects.