Studies on the circadian rhythm of IOP in rabbits: correlation with aqueous inflow and cAMP content

We investigated the relationship of aqueous humor inflow rate and cyclic AMP concentrations to the spontaneous and dramatic changes in IOP associated with onset of darkness in our previously described model of circadian rhythm of intraocular pressure. After onset of darkness, rabbits entrained in an environment with a daily alternating cycle of 12 hours light and 12 hours darkness (12L:12D) showed an 85% increase in outflow pressure, a nearly 60% increase in aqueous inflow rate and an 80% increase in aqueous cAMP. Animals desynchronized by an unpredictable light cycle showed no increase in IOP or inflow rate when measured at the same time intervals as were the entrained animals. Thus, the IOP, aqueous inflow rate and aqueous cAMP are all seen to change in the same direction in a pharmacologically unperturbed rabbit eye. Previous pharmacological studies in rabbits have correlated an increase in cAMP with a decrease in IOP and aqueous inflow.