The following are the five classes of glaucoma medications, as described
during a discussion of medications in the Wills glaucoma chat room on
August 20, 2003. http://www.wills-glaucoma.org/supportgroup/20030820.php
(summarized by Norma)

1. Beta-blockers decrease the amount of fluid the eye makes. Timoptic and
Betagan are examples.

2. Adrenergic medications [now consist mainly of brimonidine (Alphagan P)],
which decrease fluid production, but also increase flow out of the eye.

3. Prostaglandins are now the most powerful and popular medications. They
help fluid leave the eye through the muscle in the eye that does the
focusing. Xalatan, Lumigan, Travatan, and Rescula are the meds in this
class.

4. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors decrease the amount of fluid the eye
makes. Examples are Trusopt and Azopt.

5. The final class is miotics, now mainly pilocarpine, which makes the
pupil small, pulling on the drain (trabecular meshwork), which is on the
other side of the iris. Miotics mechanically open the drain and help fluid
escape from the eye.

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I find it helpful to keep this brief summary in mind.
John