Purpose: To assess the impact of latanoprost on central corneal thickness (CCT) after ceasing medication in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG).
Methods: A total of 46 eyes from 46 NTG patients, and 44 eyes from 44 individuals with glaucoma suspect (controls), were included in this retrospective study. Newly diagnosed early NTG patients (visual field mean deviation >-6.00) were administered latanoprost 0.005% monotherapy once a day. CCTs were measured by ultrasound pachymetry before treatment, for 5 years during treatment, and for 2 years after ceasing treatment.
Results: Mean CCT was reduced significantly in the NTG group during treatment [544.4 ± 35.8 μm vs. 531.4 ± 32.5 μm (n = 46), P < 0.001]. After ceasing latanoprost treatment, mean CCT increased [531.4 ± 32.5 μm vs. 544.6 ± 37.1 μm (n = 46), P < 0.01] over the course of 2 years. In the control group, however, mean CCT was not significantly different [553.5 ± 27.5 μm vs. 561.8 ± 24.7 μm (n = 44), P = 0.06] at the 7-year follow-up.
Conclusions: Latanoprost significantly reduced CCT in NTG patients after 5 years of treatment; however, the reduction was reversed 2 years after discontinuation of treatment.
Keywords: central corneal thickness; latanoprost; normal tension glaucoma; prostagladin analog.