Purpose: In this investigation the authors studied the effect of dapiprazole, an alpha-adrenergic blocking agent, on aqueous humor dynamics in patients affected with pigmentary glaucoma. Methods: Dapiprazole 0.5% eye drops were administered 3 times daily as adjunctive therapy to 16 pigmentary glaucoma patients in addition to timolol 0.5% eye drops twice daily. Computerized tonography was performed before and 3, 12 and 36 months after dapiprazole treatment. Sixteen sex- and age-matched pigmentary glaucoma patients treated with timolol 0.5% eye drops alone were used as a control group. Results: After 36 months of follow-up, the dapiprazole-treated group showed a significant increase in total outflow facility (C, from 0.17 ± 0.04 to 0.22 ± 0.07 ml min-1 mm Hg-1; p = 0.010, paired t test) and Po/C ratio (Q) significantly decreased from 113.39 ± 31.02 to 89.22 ± 51.66 (p = 0.036, paired t test). Conclusions: Our results show that the introduction of dapiprazole in the therapy of pigmentary glaucoma may be useful in the long-term management of these patients. Its mechanism of action is likely to be due to iridoplegia; in fact, a decrease in the shedding of pigment occurs and, with time, the outflow facility increases and the pigment clearance from the trabecular meshwork is enhanced.

Keywords:
Conventional tonography, Pigmentary glaucoma, Dapiprazole, Miotics, Pigmentary clearance
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© 1996 S. Karger AG, Basel
1996
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