A review of the medical treatment of pediatric glaucomas at Moorfields Eye Hospital

Abstract

Purpose: To report on the medical treatments used for pediatric glaucomas.

Patients and methods: A retrospective case series consisting of reviewing the medical notes of pediatric glaucoma patients under the care of the Glaucoma Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The medical notes of 200 patients were selected. The following outcomes were assessed: (1) the use of individual medical therapies; (2) the intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction effect of individual medicines; (3) the reporting of side effects.

Results: Medicines were prescribed 1592 times (200 patients). The median % IOP reduction for latanoprost 50 mcg/mL was -17.2% and for the topical beta blockers was -17.7% (as monotherapy), with no statistical difference in IOP-lowering effect between all the medicines (P=0.19). Side effects were reported in 19.5% of all patients-the highest occurrence with brimonidine tartrate 0.2% (in 17% patients) and the lowest occurrence with the prostaglandin analogue and prostamide medicines (in 3.8% patients). The combination of dorzolamide hydrochloride 2%, timolol maleate 0.5% had the greatest persistence of 1 year.

Conclusions: The IOP-lowering effects of all the glaucoma medicines were not significantly different although the combination of dorzolamide hydrochloride 2%, timolol maleate 0.5% had the greatest persistence.