Prophylactic use of timolol maleate to prevent intraocular pressure elevation after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy

Objective: To evaluate the effective prophylaxis of topical 0.5% timolol maleate for the intraocular pressure rise following Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and ninety eyes of 184 patients undergoing Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were randomly assigned to pretreatment with either topical 0.5% timolol maleate (therapy group) or nothing (control group). Results: The mean IOP of the therapy group was 14.8±3.0 mmHg before capsulotomy and 15.7±3.4 mmHg after capsulotomy (P>0.05), whereas 15.1±3.3 mmHg and 17.2±4.3 mmHg (P 0.05), but statistically significant difference between two groups after capsulotomy (P<0.05). Six of 91 eyes (6.6%, 2 aphakias included) of the therapy group had an IOP elevation greater than 6 mmHg compared with 14 of 99 eyes (14.1%, 8 aphakias included) of the control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: The pretreatment with topical 0.5% timolol maleate is effective in preventing IOP elevation after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.