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Unpreserved timolol easier on the cornea than preserved timolol, study shows

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Eliminating preservatives from glaucoma medications may help maintain the integrity of the corneal surface and its interaction with the tear film, according to a study. Exposure to preserved timolol resulted in significant instability in the precorneal tear film and disruption of the corneal epithelial barrier function, the study authors said.

Takeshi Ishibshi, MD, and colleagues at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan compared the short-term effects of timolol with and without 0.005% benzalkonium chloride preservative in 20 healthy volunteers.

Preserved timolol significantly reduced the noninvasive breakup time from baseline values while unpreserved timolol did not. Corneal fluorescein uptake was significantly increased upon exposure to either form of timolol, but preserved timolol exerted a greater effect.

The study is published in the December issue of Journal of Glaucoma.