Short-term effect of topical brinzolamide-timolol fixed combination on ocular surface of glaucoma patients

AIM: To evaluate the short-term effect of the fixed combination of brinzolamide-timolol on the ocular surface in glaucoma patients. METHODS: This is a prospective study of 23 eyes of 23 patients with newly diagnosed glaucoma. Schirmer Ⅰ test, tear break-up time (BUT) measurement, conjunctival impression cytology and central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements were performed in one of the eyes of each patients before and 4 weeks after brinzolamide-timolol fixed combination therapy. All patients were asked to answer the OSDI questionnaire form about the ocular surface symptoms at baseline and at 1 week and 4 weeks follow-up visits. RESULTS: After brinzolamide-timolol fixed combination theraphy, Schirmer Ⅰ, BUT and CCT values decreased but the only statistically significant decrease was seen in BUT test (P =0.03). OSDI scores increased during the follow-up but this increase was not statistically significant (P =0.22, P = 0.42 respectively). Impression cytology findings ranged from 0.78±0.42 to 0.95±0.36 according to the Nelson classification. There was no statistically significant difference between baseline and 4 weeks follow up in impression cytology grades (P =0.15). CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicate that short-term use of brinzolamide-timolol fixed combination theraphy does not have a profound effect on ocular surface except BUT values.