TRAVATAN Z
(BAK free)

and

TRAVATAN 
 (travoprost)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alcon's newest drug, Travatan™ (travoprost) 0.004% Ophthalmic Solution, for reducing elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who are intolerant of other intraocular pressure lowering medications or insufficiently to another intraocular pressure lowering medication.

Travoprost, the active ingredient in Travatan, is a synthetic prostaglandin analogue. It targets the prostanoid receptor and is believed to reduce intraocular pressure by increasing the drainage of fluid (aqueous humor) from the eye.

The medical community is aware that diseases can take different courses depending on the gender, age or race of the patient. Medical researchers are now finding that medications can also work differently, depending on age, gender or race and have begun actively investigating this phenomenon to develop more effective treatments.

While Travatan has been approved for the general population, it is also the first glaucoma drug to demonstrate greater effectiveness in black patients. "Glaucoma affects people of all ages and all races, but the disease is far more prevalent and serious in patients of African descent,".

"Patients of African descent are four times more likely to suffer from glaucoma and are much more likely to go blind from this disease than are individuals of other races." In fact, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in individuals of African descent -- it often strikes them at an earlier age and progresses faster than in the rest of the population.

Ocular Side Effects:
The use of Travatan has been associated with permanent changes in pigmented tissues, including increased pigmentation of the iris and periorbital tissue (eyelid) and increased pigmentation and growth of eyelashes.

The most common eye-related adverse event reported in clinical trials was ocular hyperemia, which was reported in 35 to 50% of subjects. Other events included (but are not limited to) the following:

• Decreased visual acuity
• Eye discomfort
• Foreign body sensation
• Pain

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding:

The effects of Travatan during pregnancy and breastfeeding have not been adequately studied. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, notify your doctor immediately. It is not known whether Travatan makes it way into breast milk. If you are nursing and need to use Travatan, your eye care doctor may advise you to discontinue breastfeeding while using the medication.

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