| Methods |
RCT.
Open label. |
| Participants |
107 participants with OHT.
16/107 patients had only 1 eye included. Analysis was always based on patient not eye, if both eyes were included.
6/53 patients in timolol group and 15/54 untreated were African American.
Inclusion criteria: IOP between 22 and 28 mmHg, normal Goldmann visual fields, normal optic disc.
Exclusion criteria: previous ocular surgery, progressive retinopathy. |
| Interventions |
Timolol 0.5% twice daily.
No treatment. |
| Outcomes |
Incidence of IOP above 32 mmHg on two separate occasions.
Incidence of optic cup enlargement (masked stereophoto).
Incidence of reproducible visual field progression on Goldmann perimeter or of progressive damage on computerized static perimetry. |
| Notes |
Mean follow up was 56 months in timolol group and 51 months in untreated group.
23 drop‐outs: 11 timolol group and 12 untreated group (timolol: 1 local and 9 systemic adverse events). Additionally 5 patients failed the IOP criterion (all untreated) and 5 patients were "escape hatched" (3 timolol and 2 untreated) because the examiner believed that the patient's vision was at risk.
During the trial period computerized static perimetry was introduced and additionally used.
Some of the patients might have had early POAG instead of OHT when analysed with computer perimetry.
2/4 timolol treated patients who developed visual field defects did so after discontinuation of treatment for adverse reaction or pregnancy. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Low risk |
A ‐ Adequate |
