Intraocular pressure response affected by changing of sitting and supine positions

To assess the intraocular pressure (IOP) time response to change in body position from sitting to supine and from supine to sitting immediately and during rest in each position.

Forty-four visually healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. The experiment consisted of the initial sitting position (baseline state), the subsequent lying period and the final sitting period. Both periods were 30 min long. The IOP was measured in the baseline state, immediately after each position change and then in minutes 5, 15, 25 and 30 during each period. The Icare Pro^® rebound tonometer was used.

The mean IOP increased after each position change (2.6 ± 2.4 mmHg after lying down and 2.1 ± 3.1 mmHg after sitting up) and then gradually decreased with time. The mean IOP was 1.41 ± 2.4 mmHg higher in the lying period than in the sitting period; the mean difference was smaller for the lower baseline (0.9 ± 2.2 mmHg) than the higher baseline (1.9 ± 2.5 mmHg). The mean IOP in the final sitting was significantly lower (2.5 ± 1.9 mmHg) than in the initial sitting position. The effect of sex was insignificant.

There was an immediate increase in IOP as a response to both changes in the body position and the subsequent gradual decrease with time. The IOP difference between lying and sitting position was depended on baseline.