Prophylactic use of timolol maleate to prevent intraocular pressure elevation after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effective prophylaxis of topical 0.5% timolol maleate for the intraocular pressure rise following Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.


METHODS
A total of 190 eyes of 184 patients who underwent Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were randomly assigned to pre-treatment with either topical application of 0.5% timolol maleate (treatment group) or nothing (control group).


RESULTS
The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) of the treatment group was 14.8+/-3.0 mmHg before capsulotomy and 15.7+/-3.4 mmHg after capsulotomy (P>0.05), whereas IOP was 15.1+/-3.3 mmHg and 17. 2+/-4.3 mmHg (P<0.05) for the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to mean IOP before capsulotomy (P>0.05), but a statistically significant difference was seen between the two groups after capsulotomy (P<0.05). Six of 91 eyes (6.6%, two with aphakia) in the treatment group had an IOP elevation greater than 6 mmHg compared with 14 of 99 eyes (14.1%, eight with aphakia) in the control group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-treatment with a topical application of 0.5% timolol maleate is effective in preventing IOP elevation after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.
Cai
Ji-Ping
JP
Department of Ophthalmology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai 200003, China. netpard@163.com
Cheng
Jin-Wei
JW
Wei
Rui-Li
RL
Ma
Xiao-Ye
XY
Jiang
Feng
F
Zhu
Huang
H
Li
You
Y
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013999:Timolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D013999:Timolol