CALCIUM-CHANNEL BLOCKERS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LOW-TENSION AND OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Fifty-six patients with either open-angle or low-tension glaucoma who were concurrently taking calcium channel blockers were compared to sim ilar groups not taking such medications for a mean follow-up period of 3.4 years. Serial stereoscopic optic nerve photographs and visual fie lds of all patients were evaluated for evidence of glaucomatous progre ssion. In patients with low-tension glaucoma, there was a significant difference in the progression of visual field defects, with only two o f 18 eyes (11%) of patients taking calcium channel blockers, compared to ten of 18 eyes (56%) of controls showing new visual field defects. Similarly, low-tension glaucoma patients taking calcium channel blocke r therapy demonstrated no evidence of progressive optic nerve damage, compared to eight of 18 control eyes (44%). In contrast, patients with open-angle glaucoma taking calcium channel blockers showed no marked difference in the progression of glaucoma, compared to controls. These findings suggest that calcium channel blockers may be useful in the m anagement of low-tension glaucoma.