Effect of brimonidine tartrate 0.15% on night-vision difficulty and contrast testing after refractive surgery

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15% in patients with night-vision difficulties after laser refractive surgery. SETTING: Center for Refractive Surgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. METHODS: Six patients with significant night-vision complaints after refractive surgery were enrolled in this study after other treatable causes of night-vision difficulty such as residual refractive error and dry eye were excluded. Low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA) over a range of contrasts (1.25% to 25%) and small letter contrast sensitivity were tested at photopic (100 cd/m(2)) and mesopic (1 cd/m(2)) luminance levels, with and without a standard glare source. Testing was performed before brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15% was administered. Measurements were repeated 1 hour and 1 month after the use of brimonidine tartrate. RESULTS: One hour after using brimonidine tartrate 0.15% solution, patients had significant improvement in LCVA, LCVA with glare, and contrast sensitivity. After 1 month of treatment, all 6 patients reported subjective improvement in night vision and there was a significant difference in performance in mesopic LCVA and mesopic LCVA with glare. The mean pupil size before administration of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15% was 6.44 mm +/- 1.11 (SD). Pupil size 1 hour after instillation had decreased to 4.53 +/- 1.27 mm and at 1 month had increased to 6.50 +/- 0.94 mm. CONCLUSION: Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15% improved contrast sensitivity and acuity and decreased night-vision difficulty for up to 1 month in patients with significant complaints after refractive surgery.