The Normal Intraocular Pressure in Thai Patients

Skowrat Kunavisarut, MD
Angkana Chamadol, MD
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medidne, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok.

 Excerpt from the article

INTRODUCTION

Glaucoma is a common chronic eye djsease that leads to blindness. The diagnosis bases on three parameters: tonometry, glaucomatous disc cupping and visual field testing.  Tonometry is employed for the screening of glaucoma through its reading. The normal intraocular pressure (lOP) is defined as that pressure which does not lead to glaucomatous damage of the optic nerve head. This can not be expressed as a precise number,since there are variations in response to a given pressure among individuals.

Therefore, there is an overlapping of lOP distribution in normal and glaucoma populations. The study of the distribution of lOP in general populations helps to determine 4he level of risk for glaucoma. The most frequently cited population lOP is that by Leyd hecker et al. Subsequent lOP screening using either Schiotz or applanation tonometer gave small differences probably related to population selec tion, race, testing technique and some systemic factors such as obesity, hypertension and ages The purpose of this study is to establish the normal range of lOP in Thai patients.

Thai J Ophthalmol 1988; 2(1): 1