Decrease of optic disc cupping and pallor of ocular hypertensives with timolol therapy

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether timolol drops compared to placebo drops had a significant effect on optic disc cupping and pallor in ocular hypertensives.Methods: Thirty-seven ocular hypertensives were randomly assigned to placebo or 0.5% timolol drops to both eyes in a double masked clinical trial. Measurements of ocular pressure and photographs of the optic disc for cupping by photogrammetry and pallor by computerized image analysis were made at about 3 month intervals, for 18 to 24 months offollow-UP.Results: None of the subjects developed visual field loss when tested with the Goldmann perimeter by kinetic and static means at six month intervals. Subjects treated with timolol developed a significant decrease in ocular pressure and a significant decrease in optic disc cupping with a smaller decrease in pallor compared to subjects treated with placebo. Multivariate analyses indicated that the decrease of optic disc cupping and pallor was not associated with the ocular pressure on treatment or the decrease in ocular pressure during the trial.Conclusion: Timolol treatment was associated with a decrease in optic disc cupping and pallor. The effect of timolol appears to be related to mechanisms other than the decrease in ocular pressure.One of the authors (BS) has applied for a patent for the use of timolol for maintaining or decreasing optic nerve cupping and pallor. The other authors have no proprietary interest in this study.

Increase of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in ocular hypertensives with timolol therapy

“…Details of the subjects selected for this number of clinical trials have been The results of such trials indicated dif-study as well as the methods used were A completed to determine the ef-ferences in outcome regarding the in-presented elsewhere [5] and therefore, fect of treatment with timolol drops on cidence of visual field loss. Some a summary of materials and methods progression of visual field loss [l-41.…”

“…The clinical characteristics regarding the baseline evaluation as well as their outcome during this study and following this study have been reported previously [5].…”

“…In a previous paper involving the same subjects evaluated in this paper, we determined in a double masked randomized clinical trial of timolol and placebo drops in ocular hypertensives, a significant decrease in measurements of optic disc cupping and pallor [5] which was associated with timolol, but not with the decrease in ocular pressures with timolol therapy.…”

“…The purpose of this study is to report the application of this method to compare the effects of placebo and timolol drops on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in ocular hypertensives in a double masked randomized clinical trial. In these same subjects, we had previously determined decreases in optic disc cupping and pallor [5].…”

Increase of retinal vessel width in ocular hypertensives with timolol therapy

“…In previous papers we determined in a double masked randomized clinical trial of timolol and placebo drops in ocular hypertensives, a significant de-crease in measurements of optic disc cupping and pallor [5] and a significant increase in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness which was associated with timolol therapy [6]. However, these changes in the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were not associated with the decrease in ocular pressures with timolol therapy.…”