[Orbital fat atrophy in glaucoma patients treated with topical bimatoprost--can bimatoprost cause enophthalmos?].

PURPOSE: The aim of this communication is to report enophthalmos as a possible new adverse effect of topical bimatoprost treatment.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A retrospective case series of five glaucoma patients under long-term topical bimatoprost treatment was evaluated. Documentation with photo and Hertel exophthalmometry was reviewed.

RESULTS

In all five patients a deep lid sulcus, reduced infraocular fat pads and enophthalmos-suspicious Hertel values were found (mean 11.9 mm; SD 2.4). Other aetiologies for enophthalmos were excluded anamnestically and by clinical examination.

CONCLUSION

Bimatoprost may lead to an alteration of the eyelid with deepening of the lid sulcus and may also be responsible for an iatrogenic orbital fat atrophy. A possible mechanism of action might be the induction of apoptosis of orbital fibroblasts with a remodelling of the extracellular matrix. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm this cross-sectional observation.