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Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology pp 1–3Cite as

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors, for Cystoid Macular Edema

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Cystoid Macular Edema

Cystoid macular edema (CME) is retinal thickening of the macula due to disruption of the blood-retinal barrier. Leakage causes accumulation of fluid in the retina, first intracellularly and later in the extracellular spaces leading to a distortion of photoreceptor architecture and decreased vision.

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors

The primary pharmacologic effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) occur through the reversible, noncompetitive binding of the drug with the carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme. CA catalyzes the conversion of carbon dioxide and water to bicarbonate and protons and vice versa. There are two methods of CAI administration: systemic administration (acetazolamide and methazolamide) and topical administration (dorzolamide and brinzolamide).

Mechanism of Action

The mechanism by which CAIs reduce macular edema is not completely clear. Biologically plausible mechanisms with some experimental support include:

  • Promoting retinal adhesion– CAIs...

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References

  • Joussen AM, Wolgensberger TJ (2012) Mechanisms of macular edema and therapeutic approaches. In: Ryan SJ, Schachat AP, Wilkinson CP (eds) Retina, 5th edn. Elsevier health sciences, Los Angeles, CA, USA, pp 590–604

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  • Wolfensberger TJ (1999) The role of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors in the management of macular edema. Doc Ophthalmol 97(3–4):387–397

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Kaplan Medical Center, HaGalil St 5, Rehovot, Israel

    Ayala Polack, Efraim Berco & Yoel Greenwald

Authors
  1. Ayala Polack
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  2. Efraim Berco
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  3. Yoel Greenwald
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ayala Polack .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Medical University of Wien Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Wien, Austria

    Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main Department of Ophthalmology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Thomas Kohnen

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Polack, A., Berco, E., Greenwald, Y. (2014). Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors, for Cystoid Macular Edema. In: Schmidt-Erfurth, U., Kohnen, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_1113-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_1113-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35951-4

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