Topical Medication Instillation Techniques for Glaucoma

The document reviewed the effectiveness of different topical medication instillation techniques for glaucoma treatment, comparing them to usual care or other methods. Only two trials with a total of 122 eyes from 61 participants were identified, with no meta-analysis performed due to the trials assessing different techniques and outcomes. One U.S. trial found no significant difference in intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction between groups using eyelid closure and those not using it. The second trial from Italy suggested that using an absorbent cloth to remove excess fluid might reduce eyelash length and skin hyperpigmentation but had uncertain effects on hypertrichosis. Both trials provided low to moderate-certainty evidence and did not report on many other relevant outcomes, such as participant-reported outcomes, systemic absorption, or cost-effectiveness. The authors concluded that there is insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of instillation techniques on glaucoma treatment.