Anterior Subcapsular Cataract Formation With Long-term Topical Netarsudil Treatment for Glaucoma.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to describe anterior subcapsular cataract development in patients on long-term topical netarsudil use.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This clinical observational study summarizes a similar cataract pattern demonstrated in a series of patients from a single physician practice and a university-based outpatient clinic during their routine clinical follow-up visits from October 2020 to August 2021. All patients have been using topical netarsudil once daily for at least 15 months. No anterior capsular changes have been observed in any patient at the time when netarsudil was initiated.

RESULTS

Five eyes from 4 patients between the ages of 41 and 61 and 1 eye from a patient aged 84 were found to develop anterior subcapsular opacities 15 to 37 months after beginning netarsudil. These cataracts were overall small, 1 to 3 mm, round, oval or ring-shaped, central or paracentral with mild density. No other risk factors for cataract development apart from age were found in these patients.

CONCLUSION

Patients on long-term netarsudil should be monitored for potential development of anterior subcapsular cataracts.