Daily Cost of Ophthalmic Solutions for Treating Glaucoma in Japan

Purpose: We conducted a study of the daily cost of various ophthalmic solutions used in Japan for treating glaucoma: β-adrenergic blockers (11 products), epinephrine (3), cholinergics (3), prostaglandins (2), and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (2). Methods: The total number of drops in one bottle of each solution was counted drop by drop. The cost per drop was calculated by dividing the government-controlled standard prices by the total number of drops in one bottle. The daily cost of therapy was calculated by multiplying the cost per drop by the number of drops typically used per day. Results: The average cost of each preparation was calculated based on the prices and the daily usage. The daily cost of the β-adrenergic blockers studied ranged widely, from $0.43 to $1.04. Conclusions: These data may be useful in selecting ophthalmic products for glaucoma therapy in Japan.