THE EFFECTS OF NASOLACRIMAL CANAL BLOCKAGE ON TOPICAL MEDICATIONS FORGLAUCOMA

Twenty patients with primary open angle glaucoma who have been treated with identical antiglaucoma eye drops in both eyes were examined. Sil icone punctal plugs were used to occlude the inferior punctum of one e ye, in order to block the nasolacrimal canal. The intraocular pressure s and effects of the medical therapy before and after punctal occlusio n were compared. Punctal occlusion significantly decreased the intraoc ular pressure with an average of 2.00 +/- 0.43 mmHg in the plugged eye s (p < 0.001). The intraocular pressure in the unplugged control eyes did not change significantly (p > 0.05) after punctal occlusion of the fellow treated eye.