Early diagnosis of ocular hypertension using a low-intensity laser irradiation test
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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
A Laser-induced Mouse Model of Chronic Ocular Hypertension to Characterize Visual Defects
Published on: August 14, 2013
Boris T Ivandic1, Nasreen N Hoque, Tomislav Ivandic
1University of Heidelberg, Otto-Meyerhof Centre, Heidelberg, Germany. boris.ivandic@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Objective:
We investigated the potential use of low-intensity laser irradiation (LILI) as a diagnostic tool for identifying hypertensive eyes at risk of glaucoma.
Background Data:
The diagnosis of early-stage ocular hypertension is particularly difficult to establish.
Methods:
This study of a case series included 123 healthy subjects with normal vision. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was determined before (baseline) and 30 min after a 30-sec irradiation of the limbus area with laser light (780 nm; 7.5 mW; 292 Hz modulation).
Results:
Baseline IOP was >21 mm Hg in 44 of 211 eyes (20.9%), consistent with ocular hypertension. LILI decreased the mean IOP by 6.2 mm Hg (-25.7%; p < 0.001; paired t test) in these eyes. The remaining 167 eyes (79.1%) exhibited a normotensive IOP
Conclusion:
LILI lowers IOP, even in normotensive eyes. This effect may be useful to determine the individual physiological IOP and to diagnose latent ocular hypertension in eyes with presumably normotensive IOP.
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