Oxymetazoline eye drops, a promising treatment for ptosis: JAMA

It included participants 9 years and older with acquired ptosis and superior visual field deficit. The 2 studies were conducted across 16 and 27 sites in the United States. 

The study enrolled 304 participants (mean age 63.8 years; 73% were women) from May 2015 to April 2019. Overall, 97.5% of participants received oxymetazoline, 0.1%, and 97.0% (98 of 101) of participants receiving the vehicle completed the studies. Participants were randomized in the ratio 2:1 to receive oxymetazoline, 0.1%, or vehicle, self-administered as a single drop per eye, once daily, for 42 days. 

"Oxymetazoline, 0.1%, was associated with positive outcomes and was well tolerated in phase 3 trials after instillation at days 1 and 14, demonstrating its potential promise for the treatment of acquired ptosis. Further study is needed to elucidate the clinical relevance of these findings beyond 6 weeks," concluded the authors.

The study, "Association of Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride, 0.1%, Solution Administration With Visual Field in Acquired Ptosis: A Pooled Analysis of 2 Randomized Clinical Trials," is published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

DOI: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2771169