Prednisone and prednisolone in ocular disease.

The introduction of cortisone and hy­ drocortisone with their attendant success in ocular therapy has inevitably sparked a search for better analogs of these steroids. The chief aim of these investigations is the development of a compound that has the maximal curative power and minimal ability to produce undesirable side effects. A host of compounds has been produced during this hunt. The latest are the delta· com­ pounds of cortisone and hydrocortisone, prednisone and prednisolone, respectively. At the time of introduction, their clinical use was said to be comparatively free of the undesirable side effects produced by cor­ tisone and hydrocortisone. In addition to rheumatoid arthritis and allied conditions," these new steroids have proved to be of value in bronchial asthma," the adrenogenital syn­ drome, pemphigus vulgaris, and various dermatoses and ophthalmologic conditions. A total of 87 patients is reported here, 29 treated with systemic, or combined systemic and topical, therapy and 58 with topical alone.