Purpose: To compare the 24 hour intraocular pressure (IOP) curve in exfoliation glaucoma (EXG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients treated first with timolol solution 0.5% (TS) twice daily and then with timolol maleate gel forming solution 0.5% (TXE) once daily.
Methods: We prospectively investigated age-matched, newly diagnosed EXG (n = 25) and POAG (n = 25) patients who were admitted as in-patients for 24 hour phasing first with TS and then TXE.
Results: Generally TS and TXE controlled both POAG and EXG patients in a similar fashion. However, a trend to lower pressures was observed in both EXG and POAG patients with TS therapy. At two time points (10:00 and 22:00) in POAG patients, TS (18.4 +/- 3.7 and 17.2 +/- 3.1 mm Hg, respectively) provided lower intraocular pressures than TXE (19.8 +/- 3.5 and 18.9 +/- 3.8 mm Hg, respectively) (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Both TS twice daily and TXE once daily control POAG and EXG generally to a similar extent.