DECREASE OF OPTIC DISC CUPPING AND PALLOR OF OCULAR HYPERTENSIVES WITH TIMOLOL THERAPY

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether timolol dr ops compared to placebo drops had a significant effect on optic disc c upping and pallor in ocular hypertensives. Methods: Thirty-seven ocula r hypertensives were randomly assigned to placebo or 0.5% timolol drop s to both eyes in a double masked clinical trial. Measurements of ocul ar pressure and photographs of the optic disc for cupping by photogram metry and pallor by computerized image analysis were made at about 3 m onth intervals, for 18 to 24 months of follow-up. Results: None of the subjects developed visual field loss when tested with the Goldmann pe rimeter by kinetic and static means at six month intervals. Subjects t reated with timolol developed a significant decrease in ocular pressur e and a significant decrease in optic disc cupping with a smaller decr ease in pallor compared to subjects treated with placebo. Multivariate analyses indicated that the decrease of optic disc cupping and pallor was not associated with the ocular pressure on treatment or the decre ase in ocular pressure during the trial. Conclusion: Timolol treatment was associated with a decrease in optic disc cupping and pallor. The effect of timolol appears to be related to mechanisms other than the d ecrease in ocular pressure.