Impact of preservative-free vs preserved latanoprost 0.005% on the bulbar conjunctiva in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31288/Ukr.j.ophthalmol.20263411Keywords:
ocular surface damage, dry eye disease, impression cytology, latanoprost, glaucomaAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to assess the state of the bulbar conjunctiva in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) when using latanoprost 0.005% eye drops with and without preservatives.
Methods: Thirty-six patients with POAG were divided into two study groups. Study group 1 included 21 patients (21 eyes) who used benzalkonium chloride (BAK)-preserved latanoprost 0.005% eye drops, and study group 2, 15 patients (15 eyes) who used preservative-free latanoprost 0.005% in the Protriaxin matrix. Twenty-one healthy participants comprised the control group.
Results: We found that use of anti-glaucoma medication without or with a preservative does not affect the cytological landscape of the bulbar conjunctiva. However, we observed the presence of inflammatory cells in 42.8% of patients taking BAK-preserved latanoprost and in 6.6% of patients taking the preservative-free medication (p=0.0279). Patients in study group 1 had 10.5 times the odds of presence of inflammatory cells than those in study group 2 (OR= 10.5; 95% CI [1.15 -95.25], P=0.0366).
Conclusion: These findings support the preferential use of preservative-free antiglaucoma eye drops, particularly in patients with pre-existing or suspected ocular surface damage, to minimize cytological changes and subclinical inflammation during long-term therapy.
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