The influence of oxybuprocaine (Novesine) on the intraocular pressure

Patients with raised intraocular pressure often have lower tension during hospital admissions than on out-patient measurement, even though the therapy is the same. A prospective study on 18 volunteers and 10 glaucoma patients was set up to find out whether oxybuprocaine eyedrops or repeated applanation tonometry could have anything to do with this. The tension was measured at least 3 times a day with the non-contact tonometer (NCT). In the case of the volunteers oxybuprocaine was instilled into the eye 3 times a day for one week. In the case of the patients the tension in one eye was measured with the Goldmann tonometer on several days after the application of oxybuprocaine drops. No reduction in intraocular pressure was found during the observation period, nor was there an obvious difference between the test eyes and the control eyes. In hospital, patients had at 11 o'clock in the morning intraocular pressure which was on the average 2.2 +/- 1.5 mmHg lower than that measured at out-patient checks, in spite of receiving the same therapy.