Sixty patients affected by bilateral open angle glaucoma, between the ages of 20 and 70, will be enrolled in the study within a maximum time frame of 12 months. The enrollment will be performed at T0 (screening), in this occasion an extensive ophthalmological evaluation will be performed after the signature of the informed consent. The patient will be undergoing to the evaluation of Best corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), fundus examination, Visual Field (VF) exam (Humphrey 24-2and 10-2 standard SITA) Visual Evoked Potentials (VEP) and pattern electroretinogram (PERG). Moreover a morphological examination of optic nerve and macular area was assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) with the analysis of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).
Patients included in the study present a Mean Deviation defect (MD), tested at the VF examination, between -6 and -25 dB and an increase in Retinal-Cortical Time (RCT) response. RCT is a measure derived through the difference of Implicit Time values of latency of simultaneous recording of visual evoked potential (VEP) and pattern electroretinogram (PERG), which represent a post-retinal nerve conduction delay.
About 7-15 days after T0 a new ophthalmological examination will be performed (T1). The patient will be undergoing to the evaluation of BCVA, IOP, fundus examination, VF exam (Humphrey 24-2and 10-2 standard SITA), VEP, PERG and OCT. In this occasion a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain will be performed.
At the end of this evaluation, the patient will be given 4 bottles containing 500 ml of Citicoline in oral solution (Neurotidine®) or Placebo and will be given the relative instructions for administration. The posology will be 10 ml once a day in the morning for 6 months. At the end of the 6 month period the patient will be asked to hand over the used bottles.
After 6 months ± 10 days, a novel complete ophthalmologic evaluation will be performed (T2) (BCVA, IOP, VF exam, VEP, PERG, OCT), and patients will be given an additional 4 bottles containing Neurotidine ® or Placebo and will be given instructions for their administration. Again at the end of this 6 month period the patient will bring back the used bottles.
One year after T0, a last complete ophthalmological visit (BCVA, IOP, VF exam, VEP, PERG, OCT) will be performed (T3). In this visit MRI will be repeated. At the end of the visit, the patient will bring back the used bottles. Will be asked to the patient if adverse events will occurs during such period.