EFFECT OF PRESERVATIVE-FREE BETA-BLOCKING EYE DROPS ON BREAK-UP-TIME [BUT]

Traditional beta-blocking eye drops preserved with benzalkonium chloride show an adverse effect on the precorneal tear film, which can be measured by checking the break-up-time (BUT). To decide, whether this adverse effect is caused more by the beta-blocking drug or the preservative, we tested the influence of timolol eye drops without preservative in single dose units Timosine(R)) on the BUT in a prospective, open study. These eyedrops caused no significant shortening of the BUT in persons, which where untreated before. Patients using preserved beta-blocking eye drops and having irritations of their eyes showed significant prolongation of the BUT after changing the therapy to Timosine(R). Preservative-free beta-blocking eye drops are a real improvement in the therapy of glaucoma patients with irritated eyes.