Intraocular pressure in clinically normal dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)

To determine the intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius).

24 clinically normal dromedary camels.

For each camel, the IOP of both eyes was measured with applanation tonometry. Three measurements with < 5% variance were obtained for each eye on the same day of the week for 3 consecutive weeks. Mean IOP was calculated for each eye on each day for comparison purposes.

Mean ± SD IOPs for the right (31.1 ± 2.1 mm Hg) and left (30.8 ± 1.9 mm Hg) eyes of immature camels were significantly higher than those for the right (27.1 ± 1.2 mm Hg) and left (28.2 ± 1.2 mm Hg) eyes of mature camels. Intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation (CVs) for IOP measurements of the right and left eyes did not differ significantly between immature and mature camels. Interassay CVs of IOP measurements for the right and left eyes ranged from 1.5% to 12.1% and 1.2% to 10.3%, respectively, for immature camels and from 1.2% to 17.2% and 1.7% to 18.8%, respectively, for mature camels. Intra-assay CVs of IOP measurements for the right and left eyes ranged from 1.5% to 10.6% and 1.9% to 9.6%, respectively, for immature camels and from 2.8% to 16.9% and 2.7% to 12.4%, respectively, for mature camels. Age was negatively correlated (r = -0.403) with IOP.

Results provided a reference and might aid in the diagnosis of glaucoma and uveitis during complete ophthalmic examinations of dromedary camels.