ABSTRACT

At present, there is no consensus as to which patients are likely to develop significant optic nerve damage and visual field loss. There are limited data on the efficacy of ocular hypotensive medication, although the clinical impression is that early initiation of treatment is more effective in preventing progressive field loss than treatment late in the course of glaucoma. OHT patients tend to be younger than those with glaucoma and, by definition, are asymptomatic. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to the potential risks of longterm treatment.