Preserving Ocular Surface Health
Lowering Intraocular Pressure
Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor in the onset of visual field loss due to glaucoma. The higher the IOP, the greater the likelihood of visual field loss and ocular nerve damage.1 Lowering IOP, whether by medical or surgical means, reduces the following2:
- The risk of visual field defect progression in patients with initial or advanced primary open-angle glaucoma
- Normal tension glaucoma
- The development of a glaucomatous defect in patients with ocular hypertension
TIMOPTIC®, when applied to the eye, acts to reduce both elevated and normal IOP.1
Decrease in Interleukin-1β
Preservative-free formulation minimizes inflammatory activation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β).2
- IL-1β is a key regulator of ocular surface inflammation that can lead to clinical ocular surface alterations3
- Preserved therapy resulted in significantly greater increase in IL-1β concentration3
Adverse Effects of Preserved Therapy
Repeated use of glaucoma medication with preservatives like BAK can have detrimental effects on the ocular tissue.
- Damage associated with BAK is dose-dependent4
- BAK accumulates and remains in the ocular tissue for long periods of time, potentially inducing cell death4
- BAK causes damage mainly through a direct cytotoxic mechanism, strengthened by the effect of repeated administration of preserved eye drops2
Compared with preservative-free eye drops, those with preservatives caused significantly more side effects in patients being treated for glaucoma. Side effects such as5:
- Ocular surface damage and toxicity
- Decreased stability of the precorneal tear film
- Worsening of dry eye
- Punctate keratitis (corneal inflammation)
- Cytotoxic reaction
- Poor vision-related quality of life6
For glaucoma patients at risk for ocular surface damage, preservative-free medication may reduce side effects and increase medication tolerability.
References: 1. Timoptic (timolol maleate ophthalmic solution) in Ocudose (dispenser) [prescribing information]. Lawrenceville, NJ: Aton Pharma, Inc; 2009. 2. Manni G, Centofanti M, Oddone F, Parravano M, Bucci MG. Interleukin-1β tear concentration in glaucomatod/us and ocular hypertensive patients treated with preservative-free nonselective beta-blockers. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005;139:72-77. 3. Li DQ, Tseng SC. Three patterns of cytokine expression potentially involved in epithelial-fibroblast interactions of human ocular surface. J Cella Physiol. 1995;163:61-79. 4. Noecker RJ, Herrygers LA, Anwaruddin R. Corneal and conjunctival changes caused by commonly used glaucoma medications. Cornea. 2004;23:490-496. 5. Pisella PJ, Pouliquen P, Baudouin C. Prevalence of ocular symptoms and signs with preserved and preservative free glaucoma medication. Br J Ophthalmol. 2002;86:418-423. 6. Nordmann JP, Auzanneau N, Ricard S, Berdeaux G. Vision related quality of life and topical glaucoma treatment side effects. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 2003;1:75. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-1-75.
