Washout periods for brimonidine 0.2% and latanoprost 0.005%.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the intraocular pressure washout time after discontinuing brimonidine 0.2% twice daily and latanoprost 0.005% once every evening.

METHODS

We discontinued brimonidine or latanoprost in a masked fashion from primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertensive patients. The intraocular pressure was measured twice weekly until patients returned to untreated baseline.

RESULTS

In 32 patients, the mean longest eye washout time for brimonidine (n = 15) was 3.3 +/- 3.0 weeks and for latanoprost (n = 17) was 4.4 +/- 3.2 weeks (P =.24). In all but one patient, brimonidine returned to baseline by 5 weeks and latanoprost returned by 8 weeks.

CONCLUSION

After discontinuing latanoprost or brimonidine, a wide variation exists in washout times among individuals, with latanoprost demonstrating a trend to a longer washout period.