The place of timolol in the practice of ophthalmology

Abstract

Timolol has become so populat with ophthalmologists that it is prescribed 44% of the time when an anti-glaucoma drop is needed. This popularity is due to its newness and the publicity it has received, its effectiveness in most types of glaucoma, and the apparent scarcity of side effects. This paper looks at the first 489 patients treated with timolol at Wills Eye Hospital and the side effects encountered. These include blurring of vision, burning and pain, bradycardia and heart failure, hallucinations, dilated pupils, headaches, dizziness, hypotony, allergy, asthma, impotence, drowsiness, anxiety, emotional lability, and nausea.