Abstract
To determine whether long-term reduction of intraocular pressure leads to a corresponding preservation of the pattern electroretinogram (PERG), PERGs were studied in 21 patients with ocular hypertension who had received unilateral timolol therapy for a minimum of 6 years. The mean difference in intraocular pressure (IOP) between the placebotreated and the timolol-treated eyes (over 6 years) was 2.4mm Hg. Steady-state PERGs (16.0 rps) were obtained simultaneously in both eyes of each patient, with four check sizes (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 degrees). Significant (p < 0.05) steady-state PERG deficits (i.e., amplitude more than two standard deviations below the mean value of age-matched controls) were observed in 16 eyes of 12 patients (10 placebo-treated and 6 timolol-treated eyes). The mean PERG amplitude did not differ significantly between the placebo-treated and timololtreated eyes. However, a significant correlation (r = - 0.423) in the IOP differences between the placebo-treated and timolol-treated eyes and the corresponding PERG amplitude differences was noted in three of the four test conditions (i.e. 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 degrees). These results suggest that reducing IOP may preserve ganglion cell function in some patients with ocular hypertension.
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Abbreviations
- IOP:
-
intraocular pressure
- PERG:
-
pattern electroretinogram
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This study was supported in part by a research fellowship awarded from the American Israeli Ophthalmology Society (RN), a research grant from the National Eye Institute EY-06046 (GLT), and a grant from Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Research Laboratories (MAK). Presented in part at the meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, 5 May 1988, Sarasota, Florida.
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Nesher, R., Trick, G.L., Kass, M.A. et al. Steady-state pattern electroretinogram following long term unilateral administration of timolol to ocular hypertensive subjects. Doc Ophthalmol 75, 101–109 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146546
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146546