PURPOSE: To determine the cost of clinical antiglaucoma treatment with drugs with uveo-scleral action, considering number of eye drops, average drop size as well as maximum duration of treatment per bottle. METHODS: An experimental study was performed using eight bottles of each of four antiglaucoma drugs: latanoprost, travoprost, bimatoprost and unoprostone isopropyl. The number and average eyedrop size per bottle of drug were measured and the duration and costs of the antiglaucoma treatment calculated. RESULTS: The average number of eye drops varied widely regarding the four studied drugs: latanoprost, with an average of 110.87 (±5.35) drops per 2.5 ml, had the highest count followed by travoprost with 102.62 (±4.27) eye drops; bimatoprost with 91.50 (±3.77) eye drops per 2.5 ml, had the lowest count. The average eye drop volume for the four drugs was 25.13 µl. Concerning duration of treatment, latanoprost and travoprost lasted the longest, with 55.43 and 51.31 days, respectively, while bimatoprost and unoprostone isopropyl had the shortest, that is, 45.45 and 45.75 days. It was found that unoprostone isopropyl had the lowest daily cost at R$ 0,81. The annual cost of treatment would thus be: latanoprost R$ 335,80 to 463,23; travoprost R$ 306,60 to 427,05; bimatoprost R$ 372,30 to 496,40; and unoprostone isopropyl R$ 211,70 to 295,65. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there are important differences regarding the daily cost among drugs with uveo-scleral action.
Drug cost; Glaucoma; Treatment; Eyedrops
