Comparative study of topical application of timolol and verapamil in patients with glaucoma within 6 months.

INTRODUCTION

As glaucoma is one of the most significant causes of blindness, and administration of calcium channel blockers is effective in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) in rabbits and patients with normotensive glaucoma, we administered topical verapamil 0.25% in the human eye to compare its effect with timolol 0.5% in reducing IOP.

PURPOSE

To compare the effect of timolol 0.5% and topical verapamil 0.25% in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

METHODS

It was a double-blinded study in which 118 eyes (59 individuals) were chosen and divided into 2 groups (30 individuals related to timolol and 29 individuals related to verapamil). Patients who used drugs (systemic or topical) that could alter IOP and those with IOP <22 mmHg were excluded from the study (19 eyes). We chose patients who did not use any drugs 24 h prior to the study. Then applanation tonometry was done exactly before the administration of drugs and 90 min later and the results were compared.

RESULTS

In timolol group, mean intraocular pressure in 52 eyes (27 right eyes and 25 left eyes) decreased from 32.545 to 30.230 and mean pressure in verapamil group decreased from 33.195 to 30.835.

CONCLUSION

It seems that topical verapamil has a similar effect to timolol in patients with open-angle glaucoma, so it can be considered as a lowering intraocular pressure agent in glaucoma patients.