Water drinking test in glaucoma management: a review of the literature

Purpose: To describe the methods of performing the water drinking test (WDT) and its applications in glaucoma management. Methods: This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed, supplemented by further articles chosen by the authors. Results: Intraocular pressure (IOP) changes throughout the day. IOP peak has been identified as a risk factor in glaucoma onset and progression. WDT is a simple stress test used by many researchers to elicit IOP peaks in assessing response to glaucoma treatments. Conclusions: Studies have shown the reproducibility and promising results of WDT in various pharmacological and surgical treatments of glaucoma. It is an important tool in glaucoma management.