Long-term treatment of glaucoma with systemic propranolol

In 17 patients with glaucoma and in two with ocular hypertension, all of whom had not responded satisfactorily to any conventional therapy, treatment was extended to include propranolol systemically. In periods up to 3.5 years, this therapy has kept the intraocular pressure at levels below 23 mm Hg in seven patients. Propranolol was withdrawn in five patients whose visual field continually deteriorated. No correlation between worsening of visual field defects and decrease in systemic blood pressure was noted. In the other patients propranolol was withdrawn because of increasing intraocular pressure or side effects.