[Indications and contraindications of beta blockaders in the treatment of glaucoma]

Local administration of beta-blockers to the eye has proven effective in the treatment of chronic simple glaucoma. However, varying degrees of impaired ventilation, even to the point of being life-threatening, have been reported. The effect of 1% pindolol and 0.5% timolol eye-drops, twice daily applied locally to the eye, on eyeball pressure and airway resistance was measured in 19 patients with chronic glaucoma. Compared with timolol eye-drops, pindolol had little effect on ventilatory functions, i. e. there was a significant difference between them. But the two preparations had similar effects in lowering eye-ball pressure. The likely explanation of this divergent action is the intrinsic sympathomimetic activity of pindolol.