Intraocular pressure variation in response to yoga ocular exercises

Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) beyond the normal range (10–21 mmHg) plays a major role in optic nerve damage in long run, leading to glaucoma. This report describes a case of an individual with raised IOP (baseline), i.e., 25 mmHg in the right eye (RE) and 24 mmHg in the left eye (LE). Optical coherence tomography reported a mild optic disc cupping in both eyes with the cup: disc ratio of 0.68:1 in RE and 0.54:1 in LE. The anterior chamber angle and visual fields were normal in both eyes. The clinical findings revealed a diagnosis of “non-glaucomatous optic disc cupping” in both eyes. The patient was advised to practice yoga ocular exercises for 30 min/day for 5 days a week for upto 6 weeks. The IOP was measured for both eyes at the end of each week for upto 6 weeks, and then, the patient was followed up after 1 month, 2 months, and 10 months. The baseline IOP significantly reduced to 16 mmHg in RE and 15 mmHg in LE after 6 weeks, which suddenly elevated to 22 mmHg in RE and 21 mmHg in LE after 1 month of exercises cessation. All other ocular parameters were stable at 10 months follow-up. The yoga ocular exercises exhibit a significant reduction in IOP until they are practiced and demonstrate a rebound effect as well. Hence, it can be considered an adjunct therapy for the treatment and management of various ocular diseases associated with ocular hypertension such as glaucoma.