Effects of moderate exercise on intraocular pressure

Intraocular pressure measurements were made on human subjects using a noncontact tonometer before and at several time intervals after moderate exercise on a bicycle ergometer. One minute after exercise, intraocular pressures were significantly decreased (by 25%) but gradually returned toward pre-exercise values in 20 to 30 min. The results confirm findings by others that physical exertion results in a transient decrease in intraocular pressures and suggest that the magnitude of the reduction and the time required for recovery are related to the severity of the exertion.