Impact on intraocular pressure before, during and after fish yoga pose

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Auguste Rakstyte1, Ruta Jaruseviciene2, Saulius Galgauskas2

1Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

2Center of Eye Diseases, Clinic of Ear, Nose, Throat, and Eye Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of head-down position on intraocular pressure (IOP) during yoga pose in ageing subjects.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational study which included 44 participants, total – 88 eyes. Subjects were divided into two groups of 22 subjects based on age.  The IOP was measured of both eyes of the subjects in 4 different positions.

Results: There were significant difference in IOP baseline between two positions in both groups (p=0,000) and between age of the participants (p=0,000). During the yoga pose, the IOP was significantly higher than top value of the normal range of IOP (>21 mmHg) after 1 minute of exercise. In both groups (younger (Y) and older (O)) the IOP changes:

  1. Seated position before yoga pose – IOP(Y)=16 mmHg; IOP(O)=15,3 mmHg
  2. Yoga pose – IOP(Y)=24,6 mmHg; IOP(O)=22.4 mmHg
  3. Immediately after yoga pose entered in sitting position – IOP(Y)=19 mmHg; IOP(O)=16,6 mmHg
  4. After 5 min in sitting position – IOP(Y)=15,5 mmHg; IOP(O)=15 mmHg

Conclusions: In both groups the highest IOP was found during the head down yoga pose. However, the IOP significantly returns to the initial value as it was before the yoga pose in both groups.

Keywords: intraocular pressure, yoga pose, IOP, head position, glaucoma, young, older.