COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF PROSTAGLANDIN AND BETA-BLOCKER EYE DROPS ON TEAR FILM PRODUCTION IN PATIENTS WITH GLAUCOMA

Abstract

Background: Glaucoma, a leading cause of vision impairment, is commonly managed with prostaglandin and beta-blocker medications. However, their impact on tear film production remains poorly understood.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of prostaglandin and beta-blocker eye drops on tear film production in patients with glaucoma.

Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Mayo Hospital Lahore from February 2024 to June 2024. The study recruited 90 glaucoma patients aged 20-35 using convenience sampling. Participants using prostaglandin and beta-blocker treatments for 4-6 months, alongside lubricant therapy, were included after providing informed consent. Tear production was assessed using the Schirmer test, and data were analysed using SPSS.

Results: The study comprised male and female participants aged 20-35 years. Females aged 31-35 accounted for 53% of participants, while males aged 20-25 comprised 40%. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) was the most common diagnosis (63.3%), followed by primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) (24.4%) and ocular hypertension (12.2%). No significant difference in tear film production was found between the two medication groups (p-value=0.125).

Conclusion: This study suggests that prostaglandin and beta-blocker medications have comparable effects on tear film production when used in conjunction with lubrication therapy in glaucoma patients. The findings indicate that both anti-glaucoma medications can be prescribed alongside lubricants. However, due to limitations such as small sample size and non-probability sampling, further research is necessary to confirm these results.