CATECHOLAMINES IN AQUEOUS HUMOUR OF GLAUCOMA PATIENTS

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Abstract
Aqueous humor catecholamine concentrations were assayed in open angle glaucoma and cataract patients during surgery, under general anesthesia. Plasma catecholamines were measured at the same time. Aqueous humor noradrenaline [norepinephrine] is apparently reduced by pretreatment with adrenaline [epinephrine], timolol and pilocarpine. (Noradrenaline concentrations were 0.599 .+-. 0.239 ng/ml in glaucoma and 0.970 .+-. 0.445 ng/ml in cataract patients). Dopamine was found in 2 of 6 cataract patients (0.123 and 0.318 ng/ml), and in all the glaucoma group (0.221 .+-. 0.170 ng/ml). Plasma noradrenaline concentration was probably increased in glaucoma, when compared to the cataract patients. Data confirm findings in the non-human primate and suggest that adrenaline may act, at least in part by causing denervation or inhibition of noradrenaline release in the anterior segment of the eye and probably by release of dopamine into the aqueous humor. The unexplained and new finding of dopamine in the aqueous humor may have some bearing on the action of dopaminergic drugs for the treatment of glaucoma. Future treatment of ocular hypertension may rely more on sympathetic denervation than on conventional adrenergic therapy.