Peak IOP can be measured just as well with tilting as with water drinking

A five-minute test in which a patient is tilted produces peak IOP detection levels comparable to standard water drinking tests, according to a poster presented at this year's meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Fabio N. Kanadani, MD, of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, US, and colleagues tested patients with a Perkins applanation tonometer after they had been lying in a 30º supine position with the head facing the floor for five minutes, and compared this result with measurements gained from the standard water drinking test.

Both tests showed a statistically significant difference between baseline and post-test IOP levels, and the results gained from the tilting test were "just as good", according to Dr Kanadani, as those from the water drinking test.