Adverse drugs reactions associated with glaucoma medications

We undertook a non-concurrent prospective study of 191 Puerto Rican patients from August 1993 to April 1994. All patients had open angle glaucoma (OAG) (age ranged from 50 to 80 yrs; mean = 65 yrs). Patient's symptomatology associated to side effects of their glaucoma medicadons was reviewed. Incidence percent of ocular and/or systemic side effects per medication were: levobunolol 45.0%; betaxolol 42.0%; timolol 27.3%; pilocarpine 100%; dipivefrin 14.0%; and acetazolamide 250 mg 64.1%. Incidence percent of ocular and/or systemic side effects of topical beta-blockers used with concomittant medications were determined. Ocular side effects were more frequent in patients using levobunolol 44.2% than in those patients using betaxolol 42.0%, 8.5% of patients using levobunolol did report systemic side effects. No systemic side effects were reported by patients using betaxolol. Ocular side effects in patients using pilocarpine were frequent (100%); whereas the frequency of systemic side effects was low (6.1%). Systemic side effects were common in patients using carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. These results suggest that non-selective and cardio-selective topical Beta-blockers, differ in their ocular or systemic side effects.