Importance: Glaucoma medications are often preserved with agents such as benzalkonium chloride, which commonly lead to ocular surface diseases.~Background: To investigate the effect of switching to a preservative-free prostaglandin analogue, tafluprost 0.0015% on treatment tolerability and ocular surface diseases.~Design: This was a prospective, open label, non-randomised, observational study performed in a single hospital.~Participants: Patients of Asian descent who have primary open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension (n = 28), who received preserved prostaglandin monotherapy for longer than 3 months, and has a National Eye Institute ocular surface staining scale score higher than 1.~Methods: Patients were switched from preserved prostaglandin monotherapy to preservative-free tafluprost 0.0015%. Patients were analysed at baseline (Visit 0), 1 month (Visit 1) and 3 months (Visit 2).~Main Outcome Measures: The main parameter measured is the change in the fluorescein staining score at Visit 2.
This study is conducted to document the effect of switching from preserved prostaglandin analogues monotherapy to preservative free tafluprost 0.0015%. The endpoints analyzed are side effect improvement in these patients.