• T C Chen, R T Ang, C L Grosskreutz, L R Pasquale, and J T Fan.
• Glaucoma Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. teresa_chen@meei.harvard.edu
• Ophthalmology. 2001 Jun 1; 108 (6): 1033-8.

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy of brimonidine 0.2% with apraclonidine 0.5% in preventing intraocular pressure (IOP) elevations after anterior segment laser surgery.DesignDouble-masked, randomized clinical trial.ParticipantsSixty-six patients underwent either laser peripheral iridotomy, argon laser trabeculoplasty, or neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser capsulotomy.InterventionEyes received either one drop of brimonidine 0.2% or apraclonidine 0.5% before laser surgery.Main Outcome MeasuresIntraocular pressure, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured before laser surgery and at 1 hour, 3 hours, 24 hours, and 1 week after laser surgery.ResultsBefore the laser treatment, 33 patients (50.0%) received brimonidine 0.2% and 33 patients (50.0%) received apraclonidine 0.5%. Eight of 33 patients (24.2%) in the brimonidine-treated group and 9 of 33 patients (27.3%) in the apraclonidine group had postoperative IOP increases of 5 mmHg or more. This was not statistically different (P = 0.80). By the time of last follow-up examination, 3 of 33 patients (9.1%) in the brimonidine-treated group and 3 of 33 patients (9.1%) in the apraclonidine group had IOP increases of 10 mmHg or more. This was also not statistically different (P > or = 0.95). The mean IOP reduction from baseline in the brimonidine group (-2.8 +/- 2.8 mmHg) was not statistically different (P = 0.55) compared with the mean IOP reduction in the apraclonidine group (-3.6 +/- 3.3 mmHg). There were no statistically significant changes in mean heart rate or blood pressure in either group except for a slight reduction in diastolic blood pressure at 1 hour (P = 0.005) in the brimonidine group (-5.2 +/- 7.4 mmHg) compared with the apraclonidine group (-0.2 +/- 6.4 mmHg). There were no clinically significant side effects noted in either group.ConclusionsA single preoperative drop of brimonidine 0.2% is as effective as apraclonidine 0.5% in preventing IOP elevation immediately after anterior segment laser surgery.

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