[Local subjective tolerance of levobunolol and metipranolol in a double-blind comparative study in patients with increased intraocular pressure].

We evaluated the ocular comfort of 0.5% levobunolol hydrochloride and 0.6% metipranolol hydrochloride ophthalmic solutions in a randomized, double-masked, paired-comparison clinical trial. The drugs were given twice daily for 7 days to 16 patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Patients rated comfort in terms of the severity of burning and/or stinging. For both drugs, the severity rating of ocular discomfort was low, averaging between 1 and 2 on a scale of 0-10. At initial and follow-up visits, the mean severity rating of burning or stinging with metipranolol was 2, slightly greater than the mean score of 1 with levobunolol. At 55% (26 of 47) of the patient visits, the patients rated levobunolol as more comfortable than metipranolol. Metipranolol (Betamann; Mann) was rated as more comfortable than levobunolol at only 9% (4 of 47) of the patient visits. The duration of burning and stinging was also rated as longer lasting with metipranolol treatment than with levobunolol (Vistagan; Pharma-Allergan) treatment. Although little ocular discomfort was reported for either drug, the majority of the patients tested rated levobunolol the more comfortable of the two drugs.