Abstract: A method of increasing aqueous humor outflow in the eye of a human patient to treat glaucoma, the method comprising topically administering to the eye an outflow-increasing amount of an analog of ethacrynic acid having a margin of safety of at least 2.0 and having the formula ##STR1## wherein each X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, independently, is a halogen, H, or CH.sub.3, or X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 together form a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring; X.sub.3 is an organic group; and X.sub.4 is OH or an organic group; provided that where X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are Cl and X.sub.4 is OH, X.sub.3 cannot be 2-methylene-1-oxobutyl; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.