title: Side effects of topical treatment in pigmentary glaucoma.
abstract: A series of 35 patients with pigmentary glaucoma were asked to report possible side effects of topical glaucoma medication using a multiple-choice questionnaire. Of the 31 patients (89%) returning the forms, 22 (71%) were men and 9 (29%) women with a mean age of 45.1 years, range 23 to 72 years. The mean follow-up time of their glaucoma was 10.7 years, range 2 to 30 years. A mild burning feeling (in 50% in all treatment groups) and redness of the eyes (in 42% treated with timolol alone and in 50% with timolol combined with dipivephrine, pilocarpine or both) were the main complaints, followed by a slight reduction of vision (in 17% in the timolol group and in 56% with combined treatment) and mild watering of the eyes (in 42% of the timolol and in 31% of the combined treatment groups). Twenty-three percent of the patients did not have any side effects from their topical medication. Patients who admitted defaulting their topical treatment once a month amounted to 43% and once a week to 17%. Patients who admitted to never having missed a drop amounted to 40% of the sample; forgetfulness and haste were the main reasons for not applying the drops.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lehto
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013999:Timolol / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010862:Pilocarpine; D013999:Timolol; C015173:dipivefrin; D004837:Epinephrine