Timoptol--three years on. A study of timolol maleate drops over a longer period

A group of 130 patients with chronic glaucoma has been followed from one to more than three years on timolol maleate drops; this confirms that these drops remain effective in long-term therapy through added therapy is usually needed. Of 54 patients originally controlled by timolol alone or in combination, only four were not controlled more than three years later, though some needed further additional therapy. Of 35 patients followed for two to three years, only six could not be controlled by timolol alone or in combination; and of 41 followed for one to two years, 18 were controlled on timolol alone while 23 needed additional therapy. Attention is drawn to side effects including a mild keratopathy and in particular the occurrence of bronchospasm or other severe respiratory disease in 10 patients, not all of whom had a previous history of respiratory disease. Great care should be exercised with timolol in the presence of present or past respiratory disease as the complication is not generally recognised and it falls to the ophthalmologist to act to stop the drop.