Recovery from deepening of the upper eyelid sulcus after switching from bimatoprost to latanoprost

Although useful for reducing intraocular pressure (IOP), bimatoprost (BIM) can cause deepening of the upper eyelid sulcus (DUES), one of the symptoms of prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy (PAP). We investigated recovery from BIM-induced DUES after switching treatment to latanoprost (LAT). Prospective, observer-masked, open-label study. Twenty-five Japanese patients suffering from primary open-angle glaucoma treated with LAT in both eyes for longer than 6 months and requiring further IOP reduction were prospectively enrolled in the study. During the first 6 months after the switch to BIM, 15 of the 25 patients (60 %) developed DUES. Among these patients, 13 were switched back to LAT and re-examined for DUES at 2-month intervals for an additional 6 months. Two months after the switch back to LAT, for 11 of the 13 patients (85 %) the DUES symptoms had either decreased or disappeared, and this was maintained for at least 6 months. During this time, 6 of 8 patients (75 %) subjectively positive for DUES self-reported a decrease in DUES. Although DUES is a frequent side effect of treatment with BIM, switching to LAT may reverse the condition for most patients.