Timolol treats myopic regression

Timolol is successful in treating myopic regression after LASIK and lasts for at least six months.

Dr Ahmad Shojaei et al., Department of Ophthalmology, Baghiatalah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, compiled a prospective, randomized, parallel-controlled, double-masked clinical trial on 90 eyes with myopic regression after LASIK.

Group one consisted of 45 eyes that received timolol 0.5% eye drops and group two who received artificial tears for six months. The main outcome measure was spherical equivalent (SE) six months postoperatively.

SE improved from −1.48 ± 0.99 D in the timolol group before treatment to −0.88 ± 0.91 D and −0.86 ± 0.93 D six months after treatment and six months after timolol discontinuation.

In the artificial tears group the SE outcomes were −1.57 ± 0.67 D, −1.83 ± 0.76 D, and −1.91 ± 0.70 D, respectively. However, in group one there was a 0.26 D decrease in improvement every four months postoperatively.

To read the abstract please visit the American Journal of Ophthalmology.