Effect of ocular massage on intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanics

Effect of digital ocular massage on intraocular pressure and Schlemm's canal dimensions

Digital ocular massage has been reported to temporarily lower intraocular pressure (IOP). This could be related to an enhanced aqueous humor outflow; however, the mechanism is not clearly understood. Using anterior segment optical coherence tomography, the Schlemm's canal (SC) and trabecular meshwork (TM) can be imaged and measured. Here, 66 healthy adults underwent digital ocular massage for 10 min in their right eyes. The IOP and dimensions of the SC and TM were measured before and after ocular massage. All subjects demonstrated IOP reduction from 15.7 ± 2.5 mmHg at baseline to 9.6 ± 2.2 mmHg immediately after, and median of 11.6 mmHg 5-min after ocular massage (Friedman's test, p < 0.001). There was significant change in SC area (median 10,063.5 μm2 at baseline to median 10,151.0 μm2 after ocular massage, Wilcoxon test, p = 0.02), and TM thickness (median 149.8 μm at baseline to 144.6 ± 25.3 μm after ocular massage, Wilcoxon test, p = 0.036). One-third of the subjects demonstrated collapse of the SC area (-2 to -52%), while two-thirds showed expansion of the SC area (2 to 168%). There were no significant changes in SC diameter (270.4 ± 84.1 μm vs. 276.5 ± 68.7 μm, paired t-test, p = 0.499), and TM width (733.3 ± 110.1 μm vs. 733.5 ± 111.6 μm, paired t-test, p = 0.988). Eyes with a higher baseline IOP demonstrated a greater IOP reduction (Pearson correlation coefficient r = -0.521, p < 0.001). Eyes with smaller SC area at baseline showed greater SC area expansion (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.389, p < 0.001). Greater IOP reduction appeared in eyes with greater SC area expansion (Pearson correlation coefficient r = -0.306, p = 0.01). Association between change in IOP and change in TM thickness was not significant (Spearman's ρ = 0.015, p = 0.902). Simple digital ocular massage is an effective method to lower IOP values, and change in the SC area was significantly associated with IOP changes.

Scleral Tonometry Precision During Scleral Lens Wear: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the reproducibility, and therefore the utility, of using traditional tonometry devices for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP), while a prosthetic replacement of the ocular surface ecosystem device (PD) or scleral lens is applied to the eye.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty subjects (40 eyes) with keratoconus were enrolled. With PD applied, the first 10 consecutive patients had IOP measured multiple times with a handheld tonometer (Tono-Pen AVIA, Reichert, Depew, NY) on the superotemporal sclera 1 mm posterior to the PD edge. This identical procedure was repeated for the next 10 consecutive patients with a pneumatonometer (Model 30, Reichert, Depew, NY). Once three reliable measurements, as defined by the study protocol, were obtained for an eye, the procedure was repeated with the same tonometer device on the fellow eye.

RESULTS

The mean standard deviation for reliable IOP measurements was ±2.92 mmHg, median (IQR) of 2.62 (1.68 to 3.53) mmHg in the handheld tonometer group and ±1.98 mmHg in the pneumatonometer group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.07). The mean IOP range for the reliable IOP measurements was 5.5 ± 3.80 mmHg, median (IQR) of 5 (3 to 7) mmHg for the handheld tonometer group and 3.71 ±1.12 mmHg in the pneumatonometer group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

Handheld tonometry and pneumatonometry have poor reproducibility when used to measure scleral IOP in keratoconus patients, while a PD is applied to the eye. An alternative research model and methodology should be investigated and confirmed to have precision prior to proceeding with further analysis of any relationship between scleral lens wear and IOP.

Evaluating Retinal and Choroidal Perfusion Changes After Ocular Massage of Healthy Eyes Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Background and objectives: Ocular massage (OM) is used as a treatment option for acute retinal artery occlusion, under the assumption that it induces vessel dilatation and enhances perfusion. Since evidence of ocular perfusion alteration due to OM is lacking, we investigate the impact of OM on the hemodynamics of the posterior pole in healthy eyes in a noninvasive fashion by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted on healthy volunteers, each of whom underwent measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP), central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), radial peripapillary capillary perfusion (RPCP), superficial capillary plexus perfusion (SCPP), deep capillary plexus perfusion (DCPP), choriocapillaris perfusion (CCP), Sattler’s layer perfusion (SLP) and Haller’s layer perfusion (HLP) before and after OM. OM was performed for 2 min, consisting of 10-s turns of compression and decompression of the globe. Results: A total of 21 eyes from 21 participants (median age 29) were included. After OM, IOP significantly declined (p < 0.001), while SFCT (p < 0.005), SCPP (p < 0.001), DCPP (p = 0.004) and CCP (p = 0.008) significantly increased. CMT, RPCP, SLP and HLP did not show any significant alteration due to OM. Changes in SCPP correlated positively with changes in CCP and vice versa. Conclusions: OCTA-based analysis in healthy adults following OM demonstrated a significant increase of retinal perfusion values, assumed to be due to failure of autoregulatory mechanisms. These findings may indicate a positive effect of OM as a treatment option for patients with acute retinal artery occlusion.

Tonographic Effect of Ocular Response Analyzer in Comparison to Goldmann Applanation Tonometry

Aims

The tonographic effect is a phenomenon of intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction following repeated tonometry. This study examines whether the tonographic effect occurs following IOP measurement performed with Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA).

Methods

Both eyes of 31 glaucoma patients and 35 healthy controls underwent nine IOP-measurements performed with GAT and ORA. The number of GAT and ORA measurements performed on each eye differed depending on the randomly allocated investigation scheme. Central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber volume (ACV) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were assessed with Pentacam before and after the repeated GAT/ORA measurements.

Results

There was no statistically significant tonographic effect for IOP readings obtained by the ORA: corneal compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc) (-0.11 ± 3.06 mmHg, p = 0.843 in patients and -0.71 ± 3.28 mmHg, p = 0.208 for controls) and Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg) (-0.31 ± 2.38 mmHg, p = 0.469 in patients and -0.31 ± 2.37 mmHg, p = 0.441 in controls) measured with ORA. There was a significant IOP reduction from the first to the second GAT measurement, i.e. tonographic effect (-0.55 ± 2.00 mmHg, p = 0.138 in patients and -1.15 ± 1.52 mmHg, p < 0.001 in controls). CCT, corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were lower in glaucoma patients. The repeated IOP measurements resulted in an increase of CCT in all subjects (but no change of ACV and ACD). The tonographic effect of GAT correlated with CCT in glaucoma patients (r = 0.37).

Conclusion

In contrast to GAT, repeated ORA measurements do not result in the tonographic effect. Repeated IOP measurements resulted in an increase of central corneal thickness, but did not influence the volume and depth of anterior chamber.

Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation after inadvertent intracapsular injection of intravitreal dexamethasone implant

In this interventional case series, two eyes of two patients with diabetic macular oedema and one eye of a patient with complicated cataract secondary to uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis had inadvertent injection of dexamethasone implant into the capsular bag. This was followed by successful completion of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. At 1-year follow-up, all patients maintained visual acuity of ≥ 20/40 with absence of macular oedema.