Efficacy of prostaglandin analogues as initial therapy in patients with newly diagnosed normal tension glaucoma

Purpose of the study: to evaluate the efficacy of prostaglandin analogues as initial therapy in patients with newly diagnosed normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Material and methods. The study involved changes in functional, morphometric and hemodynamic parameters in 65 patients with newly diagnosed NTG treated with 0.0015 % Tafluprost for 6 months. Results. In patients with the initial stage of NTG (35 patients, 35 eyes), the initial level of intraocular pressure according to Maklakov decreased by the end of the observation period by an average of 25 % from 20.1 ± 1.7 to 15.1 ± 0.75 mm Hg, in patients with stage II NPG (30 patients, 30 eyes) — by an average of 21.0 % from 19.63 ± 1.7 to 15.5 ± 1.0 mm Hg. According to computer perimetry, 77.14 % of patients with stage I newly diagnosed NPG showed a decrease in the severity of local visual field defects; in patients with stage II — an improvement in the average retinal light sensitivity. Using the optical coherence tomography with angiography (OCTA) method in the initial and advanced stages of NTG, an improvement in the retinal vascular density was recorded in the superficial vascular plexus Fovea and Parafovea; in the deep vascular plexus — in the Fovea area in I stage and in Parafovea in II stage NTG. Conclusion. The initial therapy of Tafluprost for 6 months in patients with newly diagnosed NTG demonstrated the absence of progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy in the initial and advanced stages of the disease. OCTA is a promising direction for assessing the effectiveness of hypotensive therapy in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, including normal tension glaucoma.

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