The effects of 2% ibopamine eye drops on the intraocular pressure and pupil motility of patients with open angle glaucoma

PURPOSE: Ibopamine is a prodrug of N-methyldopamine that has a non-cycloplegic mydriatic action due to its alpha-adrenergic properties and is able to induce, when topically given, a transient increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes with hydrodynamic disorders. METHODS: This is a randomized, crossover, open-labeled, two- center study. Forty patients (20 open-angle glaucoma patients and 20 healthy subjects) were treated with ibopamine 2% eye drops and phenylephrine 10% eye drops. RESULTS: Ibopamine induced a significant increase in IOP only in glaucomatous eyes (p<0.001) without a significant hypertensive effect in normal eyes. Ibopamine and phenylephrine showed a similar mydriatic activity but ibopamine was able to induce an hypertensive effect only in glaucomatous eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the use of ibopamine as provocative test in detection of hydrodynamic disorders.