Abstract
Purpose :
It is well known that intraocular pressure (IOP) changes by postural variation, and it has been suggested that the eyelid pressures affect IOPs. To determine the relationship between the posture, IOP and eyelid pressure, we examined IOPs and eyelid pressures in different body position.
Methods :
Five normal volunteers (4 men and 1 woman; mean age 26.0 ± 0.6 years) were studied. The upper and lower eyelid pressures were measured with the Eye-Lid Tension Analysis System (ELTAS), and the IOPs were measured by Icare PRO (icare, Vantaa, Finland). The eyelids pressures and IOPs were measures in sitting position, then the subjects were asked to keep supine position for 1 hour, and IOPs and eyelid pressures were measured. All examinations were measured 3 times and the mean value was recorded.
Results :
The mean IOP (mmHg) was not different between the sitting position (13.3 ± 2.2) and the supine position (13.8 ± 0.9) (p=0.488). The mean upper eyelid pressure (mmHg) was higher in the supine position (41.2 ± 4.7) than the sitting position (36.1 ± 4.8) (p=0.0048). The mean lower eyelid pressure (mmHg) was higher in the supine position (42.2 ± 7.3 mmHg) than the sitting position (36.2 ± 6.9 mmHg) (p=0.0099). There was no correlation between IOPs and the upper (p=0.603) or lower (p=0.0677) eyelid pressures in the sitting position. There was no correlation between IOPs and the upper (p=0.307) or lower (p=0.589) eyelid pressures in the supine position.
Conclusions :
The eyelid pressures were higher in the supine position than the sitting position. The results suggest that higher eyelid pressures in the supine position with closing eyelids might have some effect on the IOPs during sleep.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.