Low intraocular pressure and postural changes in intraocular pressure in patients with Hansen's disease.

We found intraocular pressures of less than 7 mm Hg in 11 of 72 patients (15%) with early Hansen's disease. Furthermore, significant postural changes in intraocular pressure (greater than 30%) occurred in 43 of 72 patients (60%). This loss of intraocular pressure homeostasis, which results from reduced aqueous humor production or increased uveoscleral outflow with reduced local adrenergic control in the ciliary body-iris-trabecular meshwork region, suggests that early autonomic neuropathy of the eye may occur in Hansen's disease. The only predictive value for significant postural change in intraocular pressure was the presence of immunologically unstable disease.