Effect of bicycle ergometer test on intraocular pressure in elderly athletes and controls

To evaluate the effect of intensive physical exercise on intraocular pressure (IOP) in 66- to 85-year-old subjects IOP was measured before and after a maximal bicycle ergometer test. The non-glaucomatous subjects comprised 85 males and 36 female athletes and 16 male and 22 female controls of corresponding age drawn from a population register. IOP was measured using a non-contact tonometer. The results indicated a decrease (> or = 2 mmHg) in 34% of the subjects, no change in 57% and an increase in 9%. The decrease was more pronounced in subjects with higher pre-test values. In all four subjects with a pre-test value above 22 mmHg a reduction from 4 to 11 mmHg was observed. The change in IOP during physical loading was not significantly associated with the intensity and duration of exercise test. Three of the 5 male subjects with diagnosed glaucoma and undergoing hypotensive medication, who were analyzed separately, also showed a reduction in IOP during loading. In the pre- or post-test values there were no differences between the athletes and controls, while women tended to have higher IOP values than men. It is concluded that physical loading has predominantly a moderating effect, if any, on IOP in elderly men and women.