Changes in visual function after intraocular pressure reduction using antiglaucoma medications.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the change in visual function after starting glaucoma treatment and correlate this to a decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) in primary open-angle glaucoma patients. METHODS: A prospective, randomized clinical trial was carried out involving 54 glaucoma patients (54 eyes). After inclusion, patients randomly received timolol maleate 0.5%, brimonidine tartrate 0.2%, or travoprost 0.004% in one randomly selected eye. Patients underwent Goldmann applanation tonometry, visual acuity test, standard automated perimetry (SAP), visual quality perception test (visual analogue scale), and contrast sensitivity (CS) test, in a random order before and after the 4-week glaucoma treatment. RESULTS: There were statistically significant changes in IOP (mean change [standard deviation], 7.8 [3.6] mmHg, P 0.40). No significant correlations between IOP reduction and changes in visual function were found (P>0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Visual quality perception, visual field mean deviation index, and CS at higher frequencies improve after starting glaucoma therapy. However, no correlation was found between IOP reduction and changes in visual function, and no differences were found in visual function when the three medications studied were compared.