Eye care professionals are increasingly encountering patients with acute or sub-acute rises in intraocular pressure (IOP) linked to current or past corticosteroid use. In this CPD article, entitled ‘Managing intraocular pressure rise: is there a formula?’, Dr Christolyn Raj explores steroid-induced IOP elevation, with a focus on identifying patients at higher risk for an IOP spike after steroid use and the subsequent risk of secondary glaucoma.

On completion of this CPD article, participants should:

1. Understand the underlying mechanism causing IOP rise in the acute or sub-acute setting, and the subsequent risk of secondary glaucoma,

2. Realise the importance of a patient’s history and treatment before formalising an effective management plan,

3. Be well-versed in treatment options for early, medium and long-term stages of disease, and

4. Understand how to co-manage steroid-induced IOP fluctuations with other health care professionals.

Dr Christolyn Raj is a Melbourne-trained ophthalmologist with expertise in refractive cataract, laser-assisted cataract surgery and retinal diseases, including age-related maculopathy, diabetes and retinal vein occlusion. She has established herself as a key figure in the field of retinal medicine, with several years of active research to her name, particularly in the area of diabetes. She practises at Vision Eye Institute’s Camberwell, Coburg and Blackburn South clinics.