Glaucoma drug may also help treat vision loss associated with obesity

A recent study evaluated the efficacy of the drug, Diamox, in treating the condition known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension which is a condition that typically affects overweight women of reproductive age and can lead to substantial vision loss. Diamox is a drug that is used to treat glaucoma. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a result of increased pressure in the ventricles of the brain. The increased pressure causes swelling and damage to the optic nerve. Diamox works by reducing the fluid production in the brain. In the study, which involved 161 women and four men with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, researchers added Diamox to the participants' treatment plan. The vision of those who received the drug and not the placebo improved twice as much after six months.*