Dorzolamide-timolol reduces IOP better than brimonidine after phaco

Prophylactic treatment with dorzolamide-timolol fixed combination is more effective than brimonidine in reducing IOP after phacoemulsification surgery, claims a study published in the January issue of Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice.

Yelda Ozkurt, MD and team at the Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Turkey performed a prospective, randomized study to compare the effects of dorzolamide-timolol combination and brimonidine on intraocular pressure (IOP) after phaco.

The study included 69 eyes of 43 patients undergoing phacoemulsification and foldable IOL implantation. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups preoperatively; group A (n=23) received one drop of dorzolamide-timolol fixed combination and group B (n=23) received one drop of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% immediately after surgery. Group C (n=23), in which patients received no treatment, was the control group. IOP was measured by Goldmann applanation tonometry six and 24 hours after surgery.

Six hours after surgery, the mean IOP was significantly lower in group A (16.3±2.9 mmHg) than in groups B (20.6±2.9 mmHg) and C (24.6±5.4 mmHg). Twenty-four hours after surgery, the mean IOP remained lowest in group A (14.1±2.8 mmHg) and was higher in group C (19.8±4.7 mmHg) than in group B (17.5±2.7 mmHg).

The researchers therefore demonstrated that prophylactic treatment with dorzolamide-timolol fixed combination was more effective than brimonidine in reducing IOP six hours and 24 hours after cataract surgery.