Intraocular pressure values during the water drinking test in a Colombian population

Background: Intraocular pressure (IOP) peaks are key factors on the onset and progression of glaucoma. The water drinking test (WDT) detects IOP fluctuations and estimates the maximum IOP.
Objective: To assess the IOP variations during the WDT in patients diagnosed or suspected of glaucoma treated at an ophthalmology clinic.
Methods: This is an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study, using clinical records of patients whom underwent the WDT between January 2017 and August 2019.
Results: The study included 300 eyes. The WDT was positive in 23.3% of the eyes. Basal IOP at 15, 30, and 45 min, as well as the maximum pressure, presented a similar mean, median, and mode, as well as a varying coefficient without much variability. The negative test group had a maximum IOP of 18.9 mmHg, compared with 20.3 mmHg in the positive test group.
Conclusion: In a Colombian cohort of patients with diagnosed or suspected glaucoma whom underwent a WDT, 23.3% had positive result. 90% of the tests were positive at the 30-min interval. This test is a complementary tool in the follow-up of patients with glaucoma.