title: Improvement in glaucoma patient quality of life by therapy switch to preservative-free timolol/dorzolamide fixed combination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess a change in visual-related quality of life (QoL) in glaucoma patients after switching from preservative-containing medical therapy to preservative-free unit dose timolol/dorzolamide fixed combination (TDFC UD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, noninterventional, multicenter 8-week study. Primary outcome was a change in visual symptoms at week 8, as assessed by the Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  80 patients completed the study. There was a clinically significant increase in the scores of all GSS-related categories at week 8 when compared to baseline (GSS symptom week 8: +21.15 ± 37.9%, GSS function week 8: +10.3 ± 31.6%, both p < 0.001 vs. baseline). Comparison between patients taking only TDFC UD and patients taking TDFC UD plus concomitant medications did not detect differences in any GSS category (p > 0.50 in all comparisons).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Switching to TDFC UD significantly improved the self-reported QoL of glaucoma patients. This can be seen even in patients who are taking concomitant ocular treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abegão Pinto
authors.forename: Evelien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vandewalle
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerlier
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stalmans
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D057915:Drug Substitution; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013999:Timolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013876:Thiophenes; C479140:dorzolamide-timolol combination; D013999:Timolol