Researchers recently found that posture-induced IOP variations are associated with glaucomatous superior paracentral visual field defects.

This prospective, cross-sectional study evaluated 93 eyes of 93 newly diagnosed cases of normal tension glaucoma. The team conduced IOP measurements and visual field tests in both the sitting and left side lying positions. They analyzed total deviation (TD) map values of 51 tested points to examine the relationship between TD in each point or cluster and posture-induced IOP changes as well as factors associated with TD changes in each visual field cluster.

The investigators observed mean IOP of 15.5±3.2mm Hg and 18.8±3.1mm Hg in the sitting and side lying positions, respectively. They noted that the postural IOP difference was +3.3±1.8mm Hg.

They discovered significant negative correlations between TD and posture-induced IOP changes in four contiguous central points located just above the horizontal meridian. Their results revealed a significant association between the difference in postural IOP change and decreased TD in the superior paracentral visual field.