The efficacy and ocular discomfort of substituting brinzolamide for dorzolamide in combination therapy with latanoprost, timolol, and dorzolamide.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was evaluate the efficacy and ocular discomfort of substituting brinzolamide for dorzolamide in patients with glaucoma treated by latanoprost, timolol, and dorzolamide.

METHODS

An 8-week, prospective, randomized, open-label, comparative study was performed in 58 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma treated by latanoprost, timolol, and dorzolamide. These patients were randomly enrolled into two groups: (1) dorzolamide three times daily was substituted with brinzolamide twice-daily (substituting group); and (2) dorzolamide three times daily was continued (control group). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured at baseline, 4, and 8 weeks after the enrollment. Subjective ocular discomfort (irritation and blurred vision) at the time of the instillation of the patient was noted with interview.

RESULTS

The IOPs at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks after the enrollment were 17.7 +/- 2.7 mmHg, 17.5 +/- 2.6 mmHg, and 17.4 +/- 2.9 mmHg in the substituting group, and 18.0 +/- 2.5 mmHg, 17.8 +/- 2.5 mmHg, and 17.9 +/- 2.6 mmHg in the control group, respectively. There were no significant differences in IOP changes between the two groups (P = 0.74). In the substituting group, ocular irritation was decreased significantly (P = 0.0014) from 63% to 20%. The slight increase of blurred vision from 27% to 37% that occurred in the substituting group was not significant (P = 0.58). In the control group, neither ocular irritation (P = 0.58, from 68% to 57%) nor blurred vision (P = 0.99, from 25% to 21%) was changed.

CONCLUSIONS

Substituting brinzolamide for dorzolamide maintained stable IOP with improvement in ocular comfort in patients with glaucoma.