Universa Medicina
Vol. 45 No. 3 (2026): Ahead of Print

Efficacy and safety of sustained-release intraocular drug therapy for glaucoma: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Rizki Oktabiriya (Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia)
Sahilah Ermawati (Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia)
Rizqi Aji Prasetyo (Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
19 Oct 2026

Abstract

BACKGROUNDGlaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Although intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction remains the cornerstone of treatment, limitations of long-term topical therapy, including poor adherence and ocular surface complications, have increased interest in sustained-release intraocular drug delivery systems. This systematic review evaluated the efficacy and safety of sustained-release intraocular implants in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. METHODSA systematic search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library was conducted for randomized controlled trials (RCT) published between January 2021 and September 2025. Double-blind RCT were selected according to PRISMA guidelines and appraised using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Data were synthesized narratively. Four RCTs met the eligibility criteria and were included. The studies evaluated travoprost and bimatoprost intracameral implants with follow-up durations of 12-36 months. RESULTSAll studies demonstrated significant IOP reduction and non-inferiority to timolol. Least-squares mean diurnal IOP reduction ranged from −5.4 to −8.5 mmHg with travoprost implants and −6.2 to −7.8 mmHg with bimatoprost implant. The proportion of patients remaining free from adjunctive topical therapy ranged from 63% to 81%. Adverse events were generally mild and transient. However, travoprost implants showed no clinically significant corneal endothelial cell loss (CECL), whereas bimatoprost implant resulted in CECL ≥ 20% in 8.1% (10 µg) and 24.4% (15 µg) of patients, leading to restriction of single administration per eye. CONCLUSIONSustained-release intraocular implants provide effective and durable IOP reduction while potentially improving treatment adherence. However, implant selection should consider ocular anatomy and corneal endothelial safety.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

medicina

Publisher

Subject

Health Professions Immunology & microbiology Medicine & Pharmacology Public Health

Description

Universa Medicina (univ.med) is a four-monthly medical journal that publishes new research findings on a wide variety of topics of importance to biomedical science and clinical practice. Universa Medicina Online contains both the current issue and an online archive that can be accessed through ...