The RELIEF study: Tolerability and efficacy of preservative

To assess tolerability and efficacy following a switch from benzalkonium chloride–latanoprost to preservative-free latanoprost in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. A total of 140 patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension controlled with benzalkonium chloride-latanoprost for at least 3？months were switched to treatment with preservative-free latanoprost. Assessments were made on days 15, 45, and 90 (D15, D45, and D90) and included best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp examination, fluorescein staining, tear film break-up time, patient symptom evaluation, and subjective estimation of tolerability. Mean best-corrected visual acuity remained unchanged during the study. Mean intraocular pressure compared with baseline (D0) remained stable throughout the study (D0, 15.9？mmHg (standard deviation？=？2.6); D90, 15.3？mmHg (standard deviation？=？2.4); p？<？0.006). Tear film break-up time improved or remained unchanged relative to baseline in 92% of patients at D45 and in 93% at D90. Moderate-to-severe conjunctival hyperemia was seen in 56.8% of patients at D0, but this figure decreased to 13.7%, 2.2%, and 1.6% at D15, D45, and D90, respectively. Subjective assessment of tolerability (0–10 scale) indicated improvement with change of therapy (mean score: 5.3 (standard deviation？=？2.2) at D0 versus 1.9 (standard deviation？=？1.7) at D90; p？<？0.0001). Preservative-free latanoprost has at least the same intraocular pressure-lowering efficacy as benzalkonium chloride–latanoprost, with a better tolerability profile. This may translate into greater control of treatment and improved quality of life