Effect of wind instrument playing on intraocular pressure.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of wind instrument playing on intraocular pressure.


METHODS
In a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial, 24 eyes of 24 wind instrument players with no history of any ocular or systemic disease were evaluated. The musicians were members of Bilkent Academic Symphony Orchestra of Bilkent University in Ankara. A complete eye examination, including best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, and fundus examination, was performed. The intraocular pressure was measured before and after a 90-minute rehearsal of a piece by Wagner. All intraocular pressure measurements were carried out by the same researcher using Goldmann applanation tonometry. The difference in intraocular pressure measurements before and after the 90-minute wind instrument-playing performance was analyzed.


RESULTS
The mean intraocular pressure was 13.79 +/- 1.93 mm Hg before and 15.12 +/- 2.44 mm Hg after the performance. Wind instrument playing significantly increased the mean intraocular pressure by 9.6% (P = 0.0149).


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that wind instrument playing may significantly increase intraocular pressure in healthy patients. The significance of this finding for patients with suspected normal-tension or high-tension glaucoma needs further evaluation.
Aydin
P
P
Department of Ophthalmology, Baskent University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Oram
O
O
Akman
A
A
Dursun
D
D
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular