Decreased basal tear turnover in patients with untreated primary open-angle glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To detect whether untreated primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension is associated with an impaired basal tear turnover.


METHODS
Basal tear turnover was determined by fluorophotometry in 18 patients with newly detected, untreated primary open-angle glaucoma and 29 patients with untreated ocular hypertension. The results were compared with those of 27 age-matched control subjects.


RESULTS
The basal tear turnover in glaucoma patients (mean +/- S.D., 11.4 +/- 3.1%/min) was 22% lower than in patients with ocular hypertension (14.7 +/- 3.0%/min; P = .0007) and 27% lower than in control subjects (15.7 +/- 5.3%/min; P = .001). Tear turnover of patients with ocular hypertension did not differ significantly from that of control subjects (P = .4). The basal tear turnover values were found to decrease with increasing vertical or horizontal cup/disk ratios (P = .004 and P = .008, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Primary open-angle glaucoma, but not ocular hypertension, was found to be associated with an impaired basal tear turnover. Dry eye complaints may originate from decreased basal tear turnover as a result of glaucoma drug therapy as well as from primary open-angle glaucoma itself.
Kuppens
E V
EV
Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Hospital, The Netherlands.
van Best
J A
JA
Sterk
C C
CC
de Keizer
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*