[Efficacy and safety of long-term maintenance treatment with timolol ophthalmic solution in chronic open-angle glaucoma (author's transl)].

Timoptol Ophthalmic Solution (timolol maleate, MSD) is a topical beta-adrenergic receptor blokking agent which lowers elevated intraocular pressure when applied once or twice daily. It represents a major advance in topical therapy for glaucoma and elevated intraocular pressure. It is more effective in reducing elevated intraocular pressure and produces fewer side effects than pilocarpine and epinephrine. It does not alter pupil size or affect visual acuity. Timoptol maintained satisfactory reductions in intraocular pressure in long-term maintenance studies treating over 100 patients for up to 16 months. The drug was well tolerated and without serious adverse effects. In general, reductions in intraocular pressure for non-white patients (predominantly Blacks) were similar to the Whites.