Abstract
Purpose To observe the recovery process of postexercise Schlemm's canal (SC) and intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy individuals. Methods Twenty healthy individuals were recruited. SC and IOP were evaluated before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 15, 30, and 60 minutes after exercise. Superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal SC quadrants were evaluated using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Results Average SC area (3726.81 ± 1167.06 vs. 4660.57 ± 1284.82 µm2) and perimeter (324.11 ± 58.95 vs. 367.19 ± 73.34 µm) increased, and IOP (14.02 ± 2.33 vs. 11.65 ± 1.90 mmHg) decreased significantly during exercise (all p < 0.001). After exercise, both SC and IOP recovered to preexercise values, and the recovery time for postexercise SC dimensions (15 minutes) was shorter than that for postexercise IOP (60 minutes). After adjusting for age, gender, axial length, central corneal thickness, and spherical equivalent, postexercise changes in SC dimensions were not significantly associated with postexercise changes in IOP compared with preexercise values (all p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the observable SC proportion before and after exercise (all p > 0.05). Conclusions The exercise-induced SC expansion and IOP reduction could recover to preexercise values after exercise, and SC recovered to preexercise values ahead of IOP. Moreover, SC might be regulated by the sympathetic nerves and could be an important causative factor of changes in IOP during and after exercise.
Highlights
In 1973, the relationship between Schlemm’s canal (SC) and intraocular pressure (IOP) was reported by Johnstone and Grant [1]. ey suggested that an acute elevation in IOP may result in the collapse of SC, which would in return increase the outflow resistance and form a vicious cycle to further increase IOP. us, the collapse of SC would increase the outflow resistance, leading to an increase in IOP [1,2,3] and SC is a flexible-walled lumen, and its dimensions depend on IOP
After adjusting for age, sex, axial length, central corneal thickness, and spherical equivalent, the univariate regression analysis results showed that compared with preexercise values, changes in SC area and perimeter were not significantly associated with changes in IOP at any postexercise measurement time-points (Table 2)
Our results showed a good interobserver agreement of SC dimensions measurements before exercise, 0 minute after exercise, and at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after exercise (Table 4)
Summary
Postexercise Recovery of Schlemm’s Canal and Intraocular Pressure in Healthy Individuals: An Observational Study Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography. Average SC area (3726.81 ± 1167.06 vs 4660.57 ± 1284.82 μm2) and perimeter (324.11 ± 58.95 vs 367.19 ± 73.34 μm) increased, and IOP (14.02 ± 2.33 vs 11.65 ± 1.90 mmHg) decreased significantly during exercise (all p < 0.001). After exercise, both SC and IOP recovered to preexercise values, and the recovery time for postexercise SC dimensions (15 minutes) was shorter than that for postexercise IOP (60 minutes). SC might be regulated by the sympathetic nerves and could be an important causative factor of changes in IOP during and after exercise
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