Melatonin decreases eye pressure in depressive patients with normal intraocular pressure

Abstract

Gokhan Ozdemir, Ebru Findikli

Background/Aim: In this study, we aimed to show the effect of melatonin, a pineal hormone, on intraocular pressure in patients with depression and normal ocular tension. Methods: Twenty depressive patients for whose agomelatine, a melatonin drug, was deemed necessary for treatment of the primary disease were enrolled in the study. Ocular pressures at baseline, second and fourth-week visits were recorded using a Tono-Pen and a Goldmann applanation tonometer. Results: Our study revealed that oral agomelatine therapy reduced intraocular pressure in the normotensive patients. The baseline intraocular pressure was 12.6±2.8 mm Hg with the Tono-Pen and 14.8 mm Hg with applanation tonometry. At the fourth week visit, the pressure measured with Tono-Pen was 11.5±2.9 mm-Hg and the pressure measured with applana-tion tonometer was 13.5±2.8 mm-Hg (p<0.05 for both measurements). There was a pressure decline of 9% compared to the baseline.Conclusion: Agomelatine is able to lower intraocular pressure in normotensive patients.