PURPOSE: To evaluate intraocular pressure variation due to postural changing of supine to sitting position and, to correlate this variation with visual field defects in primary open angle and normal tension glaucoma patients, as well as normal eyes. METHODS: Thirty-two eyes of 32 POAG patients, 30 eyes of 30 NTG patients and 20 eyes of 20 normal patients were evaluated in the study. Intraocular pressure was measured at 6 o'clock in supine position and 5 minutes after in sitting position for further correlation between intraocular pressure behavior after postural changing and visual field defects Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney and Spearman linear correlation non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Inherent to the methods used, p-values below 0,05 were considered to ensure statistical relevance. RESULTS: Relevant results were observed between intraocular pressure measured in supine and sitting position in all groups, disclosing statistical significance (p<0,001).However, this statistical relevance was not seen when compared among the 3 groups studied (p=0,17). Moreover, visual field defects, expressed by MD index, did not point to have statistical correlation to intraocular pressure variation after postural changing in POAG (P=0,81) and NTG (p=0,89). CONCLUSION: The results suggest there is a significant increase in intraocular pressure due to postural changing in primary open angle and normal tension glaucoma patients, as well as in normal eyes. However, the raise in intraocular pressure neither was significant when compared among the 3 groups nor was consistent with visual field defects.
Open-angle glaucoma; Intraocular pressure; Diagnostic techniques, ophthalmological; Ocular tonometry; Case control studies
