ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Oftalmologica 2006 September-December;48(3/4):63-6

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Variation of intraocular pressure in primary and upgaze position in Graves ophthalmopathy

Morreale Bubella D., Morreale Bubella R.

Dipartimento di Neurologia Oftalmologia, Otorinolaringoiatria e Psichiatria Sezione di Oftalmologia Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo

Aim. To asses effective role of thickness of superior rectus muscle in the variation of intraocular pression (IOP) in the patients with Graves’ophthalmopathy.
Methods. IOP was measured in 76 eyes of 38 patients (mean age, 42.4 years; range 19 to 58 years) with Graves’ ophthalmopathy in primary and in upgaze position (Elevation with divergence of 23°).
Results. IOP in 52 of the 76 eyes was 17.5+2.12 mm Hg in primary position and 21.2+2.75 mm Hg in upgaze position, whereas IOP in 24 eyes was 23.2+1.02 mm Hg in primary position and 27.4+1.62 in upgaze position In the eyes (28) with tickness of the superior rectus muscle >4.6 mm, IOP was 22.7+1.48 mm Hg in primary position and 27,1+1.92 mm Hg in upgaze position. The difference in the values in this group is statistically significant (the paired t test, P<0.05).
Conclusions. These findings suggest that ocular ipertension in upgaze position in patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy is caused, in part, by increased thickness of superior rectus muscle.