Glaucoma Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Disease Type (Open-angle Glaucoma, Angle-closure Glaucoma), By Treatment Type, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 To 2030

Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated. As per BrightFocus Foundation report published in October 2022, there are more than 3 million Americans are living with the disease, out of which 2.7 million are suffering by its common form, open angle glaucoma. Due to the lack of symptoms in the early stages, half of the affected by patients are unaware of it, thereby leading to a significant eye damage attributable to delayed diagnosis.

Factors driving the glaucoma market include rising age of population, family history of the disease, other medical conditions such as diabetes, and the use of drugs such as corticosteroids. Treatment options available in glaucoma market include eye drops, oral medications, laser therapy, and surgery, and the choice of treatment depends on the type and severity of the disease. There is an unmet need of pharmaceuticals with increased efficacy, however, presence of sustained release molecules in the pipeline is projected to meet this demand in upcoming years.

The increasing R&D in the ophthalmology segment is enhancing the focus on diseases such as glaucoma. For instance, Nicox SA announced in October 2022, that its product NCX 470 0.1% met the primary objective in Phase 3 clinical trials for treatment of intraocular pressure (IOP). Other prominent products in pipeline include QLS-101 by Qlaris Bio and GS010 by GenSight. The presence of a strong pipeline is projected to escalate competition amongst existing players in the forecast period. However, stringent regulatory framework for ophthalmic drugs is a major restraint for market growth.

North America dominates the glaucoma market attributable to a large population of aging individuals, who are at an increased risk of developing the condition. According to the CDC in 2020, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among people over the age of 60 in North America. Furthermore, North America has a well-developed healthcare system and a high level of healthcare spending, which allows for better access to diagnosis and novel treatment options for patients. The region also has a strong research and development infrastructure, which enables the development of new treatments and technologies.

Glaucoma Market Segmentation

Major companies operating in the glaucoma market includeNovartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Inotek Pharmaceuticals, Akron Operating Company LLC, Thea Pharma, AbbVie, Inc., Bausch & Lomb Incorporate, and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. These players are focusing on geographical expansion and product launches to maintain their presence in the market. For instance, in December 2022, Thea Pharma announced the FDA approval of Iyuzeh which is a latanoprost ophthalmic solution for treatment of ocular hypertension. In addition, in October 2022, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., announced the FDA approval of OMLONTI for treatment of open-angle glaucoma.