Intravenous hypertonic saline to reduce intraocular pressure

To quantitate the effect of intravenous hypertonic saline (IVHTS) injection on elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).

Nineteen patients (median age, 65 years; range, 41-84 years) with glaucoma and an IOP 30 mmHg or higher were recruited. A bolus of IVHTS (sodium chloride concentration 23.4%) was injected in an antecubital vein over 10-20 seconds. The IOP and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were measured frequently for 2 hr. The dosage was 0.5 mmol/kg sodium in 11 patients (Group 1) and 1.0 mmol/kg in eight patients (Group 2).

In both groups, a median absolute IOP reduction of 7 mmHg was achieved in 5 min. The maximum median reduction was 7 mmHg (range, 4-16) and 9 mmHg (range, 3-14) at 5 and 16 min after IVHTS in Group 1 and 2, respectively, at which point the median IOP had reduced from 38 and 35 mmHg to 31 and 27 mmHg (p < 0.001), respectively. In both groups, the IOP remained 7 mmHg reduced 2 hr after IVHTS. Systolic BP increased a median of 14.5 mmHg at 3 min and was comparable with baseline after 6 min.

Intravenous hypertonic saline solution reduces IOP moderately within minutes for up to 2 hr.