Short-Term Corticosteroid Use Not Linked to Increased IOP in 3 Trials

Key Takeaways

• Short-term topical or systemic corticosteroid use was not associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP) in an analysis of 3 randomized trails. 
• A significant reduction in right-eye IOP was observed in patients with periocular atopic dermatitis treated with topical corticosteroids.
• The findings may help reassure clinicians regarding the ocular safety of short-term corticosteroid courses in dermatology practice.

A pooled analysis of 3 randomized clinical trials found no evidence that short-term topical or systemic corticosteroid therapy increases intraocular pressure (IOP), a concern associated with corticosteroid-induced glaucoma.

The analysis included 84 adults across 3 studies conducted at Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Investigators evaluated IOP changes during short-term treatment with periocular topical corticosteroids, whole-body topical corticosteroids, and systemic corticosteroids in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), as well as healthy controls.

Study 1 enrolled 24 participants, including 8 patients with periocular AD and 16 healthy controls. Participants applied hydrocortisone 1.0% cream or hydrocortisone-17-butyrate 0.1% cream for 4 weeks. Investigators observed a significant reduction in right-eye IOP among patients with AD compared with untreated controls, with a mean change of −2.5 mm Hg (95% CI, −3.9 to −1.1 mm Hg; P = 0.002). No significant changes were seen in the left eye or among healthy controls receiving treatment.

Study 2 included 36 patients with AD treated with whole-body betamethasone 17-valerate 0.1% plus placebo or tacrolimus 0.1%, while study 3 evaluated 24 male participants with overweight or obesity who received oral prednisolone 50 mg, prednisolone plus curcumin, or placebo for 10 days. IOP remained stable in both trials, with no significant increases observed.

“These findings suggest that short-term use of a topical or systemic corticosteroid does not increase IOP, supporting its ocular safety for short-term treatment courses,” the authors concluded. 

Source

Amiri D, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2026 Doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2026.1183