Certified Paraoptometric (CPO) Practice Exam

Latanoprost is a commonly prescribed medication for glaucoma and is part of a class of drugs known as prostaglandin analogs. This medication works by increasing the outflow of aqueous humor from the eye, thereby reducing intraocular pressure, which is crucial for preventing damage to the optic nerve associated with glaucoma. Latanoprost is often favored due to its once-daily dosing and efficacy in lowering intraocular pressure.

While Timolol, Brimonidine, and Acetazolamide are also used to treat glaucoma, they belong to different classes and have varying mechanisms of action. Timolol is a beta-blocker that decreases aqueous humor production, while Brimonidine is an alpha agonist that both decreases production and increases outflow of aqueous humor. Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor that is usually reserved for cases where other treatments are ineffective or to manage acute glaucoma. The significance of Latanoprost lies in its ability to effectively and conveniently manage intraocular pressure in most patients diagnosed with this condition.