Purpose: To compare intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering effects and side effects of brimonidin tartrat %0.2 and latanoprost 0.005% in open-angle glaucoma patients inadequately controlled with timolol alone.
Methods:This was a randomized, observer masked study with two study groups. Fifty-one primary open-angle glaucoma patients with uncontrolled IOPs despite timolol 0.50% twice daily therapy were studied. Patients receiving timolol 0.50% twice daily therapy for at least 6 months were randomly assigned to two groups. 25 patients received brimonidin tartrat %0.2 twice daily and 26 patients received latanoprost 0.005% once daily as adjunctive therapy to timolol for 3 months.
Results: At the end of the 3-month treatment period diurnal IOP was reduced from 23.200.88 to 16.380.61 mmHg with brimonidin tartrat %0.2 and from 23.340.68 to 17.010.34 mmHg with latanoprost used as adjunctive treatment to timolol. The most common local side effect in brimonidin tartrat %0.2 add on group was burning and stinging complaint after instillation. The most outstanding side effect of latanoprost was increased iris pigmentation which was observed in one patient.
Conclusion: A significantly greater reduction in diurnal IOP was observed after addition of brimonidin tartrat %0.2 than addition of latanoprost 0.005% in patients whom IOP was not controlled sufficiently by timolol alone.