A group of 130 patients with chronic
glaucoma has been followed from one to more than three years on
timolol maleate drops; this confirms that these drops remain effective in long-term
therapy through added
therapy is usually needed. Of 54 patients originally controlled by
timolol alone or in combination, only four were not controlled more than three years later, though some needed further additional
therapy. Of 35 patients followed for two to three years, only six could not be controlled by
timolol alone or in combination; and of 41 followed for one to two years, 18 were controlled on
timolol alone while 23 needed additional
therapy. Attention is drawn to side effects including a mild keratopathy and in particular the occurrence of
bronchospasm or other severe respiratory disease in 10 patients, not all of whom had a previous history of respiratory disease. Great care should be exercised with
timolol in the presence of present or past respiratory disease as the complication is not generally recognised and it falls to the ophthalmologist to act to stop the drop.