Piloplex, a new long-acting pilocarpine polymer salt. B: Comparative study of the visual effects of pilocarpine and Piloplex eye drops.

TLDR

In a double‑blind study of nine healthy volunteers, the authors compared the effects of pilocarpine hydrochloride 4 % and the new long‑acting Piloplex 3.4 (both delivering equal pilocarpine) on accommodation and visual acuity measured monocularly and binocularly. Pilocarpine hydrochloride produced larger accommodation and visual changes than Piloplex, with peak effects at 30 min that faded within 3 h; Piloplex’s longer hypotensive action allows twice‑daily dosing, reducing visual disturbances to once daily versus three times daily with pilocarpine.

Abstract

Induced accommodation and changes in vision (distance and near) were measured monocularly and binocularly in 9 young healthy volunteers in a double blind study after administering to them pilocarpine hydrochloride 4%, Piloplex 3.4, and saline eye drop instillations. Piloplex 3.4, a new long-acting pilocarpine polymer salt, and pilocarpine hydrochloride 4% (both contain equal amounts of pilocarpine-3.4%) induced changes in vision and accommodation. These changes were greater with pilocarpine hydrochloride than with Piloplex. The maximum changes occurred half an hour after instillation and the effect vanished after an additional period up to 3 hours. The changes were greater when measured monocularly than binocularly. Piloplex initiates a prolonged hypotensive effect which lasts for 12 hours. Patients with glaucoma are thus able to use Piloplex on a twice-daily schedule. Consequently, visual disturbances occur only once a day in contrast to pilocarpine hydrochloride given 4 times a day, which induces 3 visual disturbances during the day.