Intraocular pressure
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the fluid pressure inside the eye. It may become elevated due to anatomical problems, inflammation of the eye, genetic factors, as a side-effect from medication, or during exercise .
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[edit] Significance
Ocular hypertension (OHT) is intraocular pressure higher than normal in the absence of optic nerve damage or visual field loss . Current consensus in ophthalmology defines normal introcular pressure as that between 10 mmHg and 21 mmHg . Because IOP is the most important risk factor for glaucoma, those with ocular hypertension are frequently considered to have a greater chance of developing the condition.
Differences between the pressure in the two eyes is often clinically significant, and potentially associated with certain types of glaucoma, as well as iritis or retinal detachment.
Ocular hypotony, or hypotony, is typically defined as intraocular pressure equal to or less than 5 mmHg.[6][7]
[edit] Physiology and measurement
Intraocular pressure is determined by the coupling of the production of aqueous humor from the eye's ciliary body and its drainage through the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal located in the anterior chamber angle. It is measured with a tonometer.
[edit] References
- ↑ Archives of Opthalmology
- ↑ American Optometric Association
- ↑ American Academy of Ophthalmology
- ↑ webMD
- ↑ eMedicine - Glaucoma Overview
