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Br J Ophthalmol 2007;91:1413-1414 doi:10.1136/bjo.2007.114546
  • Letter

Yoga can be dangerous—glaucomatous visual field defect worsening due to postural yoga

  1. Dimiter Robert Bertschinger,
  2. Efstratios Mendrinos,
  3. André Dosso
  1. University Eye Clinic, Geneva, Switzerland
  1. Dimiter Robert Bertschinger, University Eye Clinic, 22 rue Alcide Jentzer, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland; dimiter.bertschinger{at}hcuge.ch
  • Accepted 11 January 2007

The relationship between the head-down body position and increased IOP is well known.1–6 We present a 46-year old woman who presented with a worsening of glaucomatous visual field defects one year after starting to perform regularly a particular postural headstand yoga exercise, reversible after cessation of the exercise.

In 10 non-yoga-practising volunteers intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by Tono-Pen in sitting and immediately after assuming a headstand position. A more than twofold increase of the IOP was measured in the headstand position. Therefore postural (head-down) yoga exercises are clearly not recommended for patients suffering from glaucoma.

Case report

A 46-year-old Caucasian woman followed at our clinic for a bilateral juvenile …

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