[Which value of intraocular pressure is more important--inclinostatic or orthostatic?]

Because there are differences between IOP measured in sitting position and IOP measured in laying position, we asked ourselves if these data are important in the management of glaucoma.

We investigated two groups: patients known with open angle glaucoma well compensated with medication (62 eyes), and non glaucoma patients (40 eyes). Both groups underwent same protocol IOP was measured with hand hold applanation tonometry Perkins, during day light at 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 hours, first in sitting position then they lay down for 5 minutes and the exam was performed again. Every data was the mean of two measurements taken in the sequence right eye- left eye- right eye- left eye. In the study there are another two groups of patients who underwent a single exam during a day, but we respect the same method of exam.

Patients with OAG showed smaller variations of IOP measured in sitting position per day light than those obtained in laying position. Differences between IOP measured in varied positions are similar with those of IOP in laying position during day light. Non glaucoma patients had a bigger disorder regarding IOP values during day The great majority of non glaucoma patients had small (0-4 mmHg) differences between IOP in varied positions, but we must underline there are few with big differences (8-10 mmHg) and these patients kept or enlarged this difference during day

IOP values obtained in sitting position compared with IOP values in laying down position at the same moment, offer to the clinicians a more accurate picture of the stress created by tensional variation within the eye. We consider this kind of examination of truly help in evaluating both glaucoma and "suspect of glaucoma" patients.