Effect of Sleeping Position on the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Individuals with Glaucoma

ORIGINAL ReseARchsupine position and the lateral decubitus position. 13The lateral decubitus position appears to be the most commonly adopted IntroductIon3][4] Intraocular pressure can be influenced by age, genetics, physical exercise, circadian rhythm, and postural variations. 5Postural variation causes an increase in IOP due to choroidal vascular congestion and an increase in episcleral venous pressure (EVP). 6,7nowledge about the influence of IOP fluctuation dependent on the postural effect is not yet sufficiently understood. 8he increase in IOP resulting from postural variation could be responsible for the onset or progression of the disease, 5,9 since two-thirds of IOP peaks in 24 hours occur at night and are not detected during routine consultations. 10,11Moreover, this increase occurs despite clinical treatment to reduce IOP. 5,12he IOP is known to be greater in the supine position than in the sitting position, 6,7,12-14 but this increase is even higher in patients with glaucoma. 5,15,16It is believed that the way glaucoma patients sleep can alter IOP. 17 Some studies have looked for a relationship between the preferred sleeping position, the position of the head and eye in relation to the support surface, IOP, and the progression of glaucoma. 7,9,12,15,16During sleep, the position of the body changes more frequently between the 1-4,