You have no items in your shopping cart.
ABSTRACT
Intraocular pressure is the total pressure exerted by the two intraocular fluids-the aqueous humour and vitreous humour within the eyeball. Intraocular pressure is the major risk factor of glaucoma and is currently the only risk factor that can be modified. Physical exercise causes sympatheticnervestimulation and this leads to the expansion of the trabecular meshwork and schlemms canal, the resultant effect is a reduction in IOP. Ocular massage relaxes the muscles of the eyes causing the trabecular meshwork to freely allow aqueous flow out of the eyes quickly, leading to reduction in intraocular pressure.This experimental study was carried out on 50 healthy patients of age 20-60 with mean age of 36.56 ± 11.87 years to determine the effects of ocular massage on IOP. The Baseline IOP of the selected participants was measured using an air puff tonometer in both eyes before using the ocular massager for 5 minutes. The IOP was measured again after using the ocular massager. Data collected was analyzed using Student t test of statistical packages of social sciences (SPSS). The results showed a statistically significant decrease in mean IOP in OD from (14.56±2.5) before massage to (13.60±2.51) OD after massage. Also a statistically significant decrease in mean IOP in OS from (14.32±2.5) before massage to (13.24±2.66) after massage. Findings from this experimental study indicate that the administration of ocular massage leads to a slight reduction in IOP. There was no significant difference in reduction of IOP with age. This study has therefore revealed and laid a basis for optometrist's to be aware of the usefulness of ocular massage and precisely its effects on IOP.
Key words: Intraocular pressure (IOP), tonometry, ocular massage.
