ANTERIOR-CHAMBER ANGLES SHALLOWING AND INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE AFTER TOPICAL PILOCARPINE

Pilocarpine has been well recognized as the drug of choice for acute a ngle-closure glaucoma. The purpose of this study is to clarify quantit atively the change of anterior chamber angle and depth with the passag e of time after pilocarpine drop administration. Chamber angles of the four quadrants and chamber depths were measured in 18 normal subjects by Scheimpflug Video Image prior to and 30, 60, and 180 minutes after administration of one drop of 4% pilocarpine in one eye, while the op posite eye served as control. The anterior chamber angle and depth sho wed a significant shallowing at 30, 60 and 180 minutes after 4% piloca rpine administration with a maximal effect of -3.61 degrees and -0.15 mm at 30 minutes, respectively, while the reduction of intraocular pre ssure reached its maximal effect at 180 minutes. These facts should be well understood in the treatment of angle-closure glaucoma.