Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine the effect of topical hypotensive lipids on macular thickness in ocular hypertensive and glaucoma patients using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Methods: :
This prospective study measures foveal and macular thickness in one eye of patients with ocular hypertension or glaucoma without pre–existing macular thickening. Measurements of the fovea and macula were obtained using OCT before and after topical use of hypotensive lipids. Similar measurements were performed for comparison in an untreated control group. OCT measurement calculations used for analysis included fovea, the average of four quadrants of the inner ring of macular measurement, and similarly for the outer macular ring, as provided by OCT software
Results: :
Twenty–five eyes of 25 patients were enrolled in the treatment group and 21 eyes of 21 patients for the control group. OCT was performed in the treatment group before and 6.7 ± 5.0 months following initial topical therapy and over a similar time period, 7.2 ± 5.0 months apart, in the control group (p=0.78). Average age was 66 ± 15 years for the treatment group and 60 ± 13 years for the control. Foveal thickness in the treatment group prior to treatment was 190 microns vs. 188 microns post–treatment (p=0.56). Similarly, the inner and outer macular thickness measured 249 microns and 214 microns, respectively, before treatment and 249 microns and 215 microns, respectively, following treatment (p=0.39 and p=0.86, respectively). Equally, the control group showed no statistical change in foveal or macular thickness over successive measurements.
Discussion: :
This study found no statistical difference, when compared to control, in foveal or macular thickness following topical treatment with hypotensive lipids in glaucoma and ocular hypertensive patients.
Conclusions: :
Hypotensive lipids are safe, with respect to macular thickening, when used as topical therapy for patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension without pre–existing macular thickening.
Keywords: drug toxicity/drug effects • imaging/image analysis: clinical • macula/fovea