Comparison of intraocular pressure-lowering effects of ripasudil hydrochloride hydrate for inflammatory and corticosteroid-induced ocular hypertension

Ocular hypertension (OHT) caused by inflammation or corticosteroid treatment is a common complication of uveitis. Ripasudil hydrochloride hydrate (K-115) is reportedly efficacious for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP). We retrospectively compared the IOP-lowering effect of K-115 for inflammatory and corticosteroid-induced OHT associated with uveitis. Thirty-six consecutive eyes of 27 patients with uveitis-associated OHT (20 and 16 eyes with inflammation- and corticosteroid-induced OHT, respectively) were treated with K-115 with or without other anti-glaucoma agents. In the inflammation-induced OHT, mean IOP and aqueous flare significantly decreased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.035, respectively), changing from 26.4 ± 7.5 mmHg and 28.1 ± 15.0 photon counts per millisecond (pc/ms) at the initial assessment to 17.9 ± 5.4 mmHg and 17.1 ± 10.7 pc/ms at the last visit, respectively. In the corticosteroid-induced OHT, mean IOP significantly decreased (P = 0.0005), changing from 26.7 ± 7.8 mmHg and 18.7 ± 11.2 pc/ms to 18.6 ± 8.8 mmHg and 22.6 ± 15.3 pc/ms, respectively; conversely, aqueous flare remained unchanged. In the inflammation-induced OHT, K-115 was more efficacious in the eyes with higher IOP. Neither remarkable adverse effects nor exacerbation of uveitis were observed in the eyes of either group during the observation period. K-115 decreased IOP in both inflammation- and corticosteroid-induced OHT associated with uveitis and played a synergistic role in reducing ocular inflammation in uveitis treatment.