AQUEOUS FLOW IN OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Objectives: To measure aqueous dynamic variables in patients with open -angle glaucoma when their ocular hypotensive treatment was withdrawn and to determine if the circadian rhythm of the aqueous humor flow was present in open-angle glaucoma. Methods: We studied 20 patients with open-angle glaucoma, and a group of 20 healthy subjects served as cont rols. Aqueous humor flow was measured by clearance of topically applie d fluorescein with a fluorophotometer, tonography was used to measure outflow facility, and applanation tonometry was used to measure the in traocular pressure. Results: We did not- find any statistically signif icant difference when comparing aqueous flow during the daytime in sub jects with open-angle glaucoma with that in controls. However, we did measure a higher aqueous flow at night in the group with open-angle gl aucoma, compared with the normal group. The circadian rhythm of aqueou s humor flow was present in the subjects with glaucoma. Conclusions: A queous flow is not suppressed in glaucomatous eyes that are not underg oing treatment. Rather, the Row is slightly higher at night during sle ep compared with the flow in normal sleeping subjects, but not high en ough to have a clinically significant effect on intraocular pressure.