Prevention of the rise in intraocular pressure following neodymium-YAG posterior capsulotomy using topical 1% apraclonidine.
We studied apraclonidine hydrochloride (aplonidine hydrochloride or ALO 2145), an alpha-agonist, for its effect on the intraocular pressure (IOP) rise following neodymium-YAG posterior capsulotomy (YPC). In a prospective multicentered double-masked study, 63 eyes were pretreated with one drop of either 1% apraclonidine hydrochloride or placebo one hour before performing YPC and again following the laser treatment. The greatest IOP rise in the placebo-treated eyes occurred in the third hour after YPC, when the mean (+/- SD) IOP rose from a baseline pressure of 16.4 +/- 3.7 to 20.8 +/- 6.8 mm Hg. In apraclonidine-treated eyes, the IOP fell from a mean of 15.6 +/- 3.8 to 12.8 +/- 6.0 mm Hg three hours postoperatively. There were five times as many eyes that had an IOP rise greater than 10 mm Hg in the placebo-treated group compared with those treated with apraclonidine. Apraclonidine proved to be highly effective in preventing the rise in IOP following YPC.
Pollack
I P
IP
Wilmer Opthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Brown
R H
RH
Crandall
A S
AS
Robin
A L
AL
Stewart
R H
RH
White
G L
GL
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003000:Clonidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D009354:Neodymium; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation
D009354:Neodymium; C016986:apraclonidine; D003000:Clonidine