1% carteolol hydrochloride eyedrops: long-term experience in the treatment of chronic open-angle glaucoma

The response by 14 patients with open-angle glaucoma to treatment with carteolol 1% eye drops was investigated during a study lasting up to 15 months. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that carteolol had a highly significant IOP-lowering effect in all the patients studied. The mean decrease in IOP was as much as 41% of the initial value after the first day of treatment and after one week of treatment all the IOP values were close to 16-17 mm Hg. No long-term drift was noticed during the period of the study; no patient experienced any adverse reactions which could be related to the treatment with carteolol. This study therefore confirms the results of former investigations into the IOP-lowering effect of carteolol performed on Japanese subjects and classifies carteolol as a safe antiglaucoma agent which is also effective in Caucasian patients.