Effect of positive end expiratory pressure on human intraocular pressure

The study was carried out on 20 ASA 1 patients scheduled for elective extra ocular surgery. All patients were premedicated with oral diazepam (0.2 mg/kg) a night prior to and on the day of surgery, Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone (4-6 mg/kg) and trachea intubated after administration of vecuronium (0.15 mg/kg). After achieving a steady state, incremental application of PEEP of 5,10 and 15 cm H₂O was carried out. Intraocular pressure was monitored using a hand held Perkins tonometer. The baseline IOP recorded in the two eyes was 12.1 ± 3.10 mmHg and 13.2 ± 3 mmHg. This increased to 12.4 ± 2.21, 12.5 ± 3.11 and 12.8 ± 2.92 mmHg in the right eye on incremental application of PEEP. In the left eye this increased to 13.4 ± 2.9, 13.6 ± 3.2, 13.7 ± 3.0 mmHg on similar application of PEEP. This rise in intraocular pressure was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).