Final answer:
Pilocarpine is used as a short-term treatment for glaucoma by constricting the pupil and allowing aqueous humor drainage, thus reducing intraocular pressure. Additionally, acetazolamide can be utilized to inhibit carbonic anhydrase, lowering fluid accumulation in the eye.
Step-by-step explanation:
For the short-term treatment of glaucoma, medications like pilocarpine are often used. Pilocarpine is a muscarinic agonist that helps to manage the eye condition by constricting the pupil, which is induced by agents such as phenylephrine, especially following an eye examination. This constriction action is achieved by the contraction of the smooth muscle of the iris. In conjunction with pupil constriction, pilocarpine also causes the ciliary muscle to contract, which facilitates the opening of perforations at the base of the cornea, thus enhancing the drainage of aqueous humor from the anterior compartment of the eye and subsequently reducing intraocular pressure.
In the context of glaucoma, it is also vital to note that drugs like acetazolamide may be employed. Acetazolamide acts by inhibiting the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which plays a role in fluid accumulation within the eye. This inhibition can help prevent the formation of water in the eye, leading to the reduction in pressure associated with glaucoma.