Purpose: A prospective study was performed to compare the ocular pulse amplitude (OPA)-lowering effects of tafluprost and latanoprost, used in the treatment of glaucoma, using dynamic contour tonometry.
Methods: The study population consisted of patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) (n = 27) or primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) (n = 14) treated with tafluprost and latanoprost. All patients were newly diagnosed with NTG and POAG and had undergone no previous treatment. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT), OPA was measured by dynamic contour tonometry, and corrected OPA (cOPA) was calculated before and after 1 week, 1-3 months of treatment.
Results: Initial IOP and OPA were 17.12 ± 3.75, 2.30 ± 0.56 mmHg and 17.53 ± 2.87, 2.65 ± 0.94 mmHg in the tafluprost and latanoprost groups, respectively. After 3 months of treatment, IOP and OPA were 13.00 ± 2.04 mmHg (24.1%) and 1.51 ± 0.30 mmHg (34.3%), respectively, in the tafluprost group. These values were 15.40 ± 2.32 mmHg (12.2%) and 2.08 ± 0.83 mmHg (21.5%), respectively, in the latanoprost group. Therefore, tafluprost significantly reduced IOP (P = 0.01), but OPA-lowering effects did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P = 0.17). However, the cOPA-lowering effect of tafluprost (1.27 mmHg, 55.2%) was significantly greater than that of latanoprost (0.84 mmHg, 31.7%) after 3 months of treatment (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Tafluprost and latanoprost, used to treat glaucoma, have marked OPA-lowering effects as well as IOP-lowering effects. Moreover, tafluprost has a greater effect than latanoprost. Therefore, it can be used for patients in need of IOP reduction and at risk of glaucoma progression.