Intraocular pressure and tear production in captive eland and fallow deer

Applanation tonometry was used to estimate intraocular pressure (IOP) and S chirmer tear test (STT) I was used to estimate tear production in both eyes of 12 juvenile elands (Taurotragus oryx) and one eye each of 15 Asian fall ow deer (Dama mesopotamica). Mean (+/- standard deviation) IOP was 14.6 +/- 4.0 mm Hg in the eland and 11.9 +/- 3.3 mm Hg in the deer. Mean tear produ ction was 18.7 +/- 5.9 mm/min in the eland and 10.5 +/- 6.5 mm/min in the d eer. The large variation in IOP between two members of the family Bovidae, the elands reported here and the Thomson gazelle (Gazella thomsoni) for whi ch we previously re ported a mean pressure of 7.6 mm Hg, illustrates the ne ed to establish reference values for each species. Tear production may be i nfluenced by the species' natural habitat.