[Principles of treatment of early stage glaucoma: surgery vs. therapy (review of literature)].

Swift development of ophthalmopharmacology in last years has led to loss of starting positions surgery in glaucoma treatment, especially in early stage. Medical therapy is considered safer and not less effective in spite of problems of compliance, intolerance to hypotensive drugs in some patients with ocular surface diseases and less significant reduction of baseline intraocular pressure. There are many glaucoma guidelines refer to this data which led to significant decrease of proportions of surgery. Whether such an approach is applicable in all cases?