ANOMALOUS INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE CHANGES IN CHAGAS-DISEASE ELICITED BY POSTURAL TEST

We compared the effects of postural changes on intraocular pressure, s ystemic blood pressure, and pupil size with and without induced mydria sis in 15 chronic chagasic patients and 20 healthy age-matched control s. The chagasic patients showed a marked fall in intraocular pressure on rising. However, systemic systolic blood pressure changes and pupil size in patients did not differ from those measured in controls. Our findings may be explained by an alteration in the autonomic ocular sys tem that regulates homeostasis of ocular pressure and the probable exi stence of a baroreceptor are-reflex that restores the equilibrium of s udden changes in the intraocular pressure.