What are the precautions for glaucoma patients during pregnancy?

  The question of pregnancy medication for glaucoma patients is difficult to answer, because at present all medications for glaucoma, whether eye drops or oral medications, have not been clinically validated for pregnant women and children, so there is a lack of information in this regard. In terms of the amount of IOP-lowering eye medications used today, there are basically no obvious problems with fetal malformations. However, since this is a blind spot, and since only children are generally born nowadays, the quality of children is generally high, it is important to avoid the use of drugs as much as possible.  If a patient with glaucoma is to become pregnant, because of the effects of drugs on the fetus, such as the early trimester teratogenic effects and the possibility of causing premature birth in the later stages, it is best to consider selective laser glaucoma surgery treatment before pregnancy if the IOP can be controlled in a stable state without drugs. Selective laser trabeculoplasty has limited ability to reduce IOP and may increase IOP in the future, so it is only suitable for patients whose baseline IOP is not very high. Anti-glaucoma surgical treatment can significantly reduce IOP with smooth IOP control and is suitable for patients with high baseline IOP.  If high IOP is detected during pregnancy and glaucomatous optic nerve damage is present, selective laser trabeculoplasty can be performed for open-angle glaucoma in early and late pregnancy, and YAG laser iris perforation can be considered if closed-angle glaucoma is present. Early and late pregnancy should be treated without medication. In mid-pregnancy, you can consider using topical IOP-lowering medications that have no adverse effects on the mother and fetus, such as prostaglandin-based eye medications like latanoprost, travoprost and bemiprost. Anti-glaucoma surgery is not usually considered in early and late pregnancy because of the possible effects of local anesthetics on the fetus. If possible, surgery should wait until after delivery.