There was no clinically significant difference in intraocular pressure (IOP) with microdrops using the Nanodropper Adaptor (Nanodropper, Inc) with timolol maleate 0.5% vs conventional eyedrops of the beta-blocker. The adaptor reduces the volume of an eyedrop.

The IOP-lowering effect with Nanodropper was noninferior to traditional drops at all time points throughout the 8-hour study, according to researchers reporting in Ophthalmology. Patients in the microdrop arm also had a significantly smaller decrease in heart rate compared to those who received conventional drops, demonstrating there could be an enhanced safety profile associated with using a microdrop of timolol compared to a conventionally sized eyedrop.

“Microvolume delivery technologies may offer solutions in the form of less waste, increased patient savings, and hopefully better safety profiles for many topical ophthalmic medications,” said Alan L. Robin, MD, corresponding author, and a member of Nanodropper’s medical advisory board.