Timolol microdrops appear as effective as conventional drops in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP)

Key Takeaways

• Microdrops of timolol worked as well as conventional timolol drops in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP), according to a study.
• The decrease in resting heart rate, a side effect of conventional timolol drops, was less in the microdrop group.

Timolol maleate 0.5% microdrops delivered with the Nanodropper Adaptor met three noninferiority endpoints in lowering IOP compared with conventional timolol drops, according to a study of 419 patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma that were assigned to receive either microdrops or conventional timolol. In addition, while there was a statistically significant decrease in resting heart rate in both groups (a side effect of timolol), the decrease in the microdrop group was significantly less than the decrease in the conventional drop group. “The key takeaway for glaucoma specialists is that our study demonstrates the Nanodropper Adaptor’s microdrops deliver timolol with comparable efficacy to conventional drops, potentially enhancing patient safety by reducing medication waste and minimizing systemic effects,” Jennifer S. Steger, PhD, lead author of the study published in Ophthalmology, said. Steger told Healio, “We anticipate the Nanodropper system with timolol will revolutionize glaucoma treatment by offering a more efficient, cost-effective and safer delivery method. This innovation has the potential to streamline patient care and improve outcomes in glaucoma management.” She added, “Given these promising results, our next steps involve further optimizing the Nanodropper system and expanding its availability to reach more patients globally.”

Edited by Dawn Wilcox, BSN, RN

Source: Anthony DeFino, Healio Ocular Surgery News, March 27, 2024; see source article