Retinal vein obstruction and intraocular pressure: abnormal postural response independent of facility of outflow.

Eleven patients with a central retinal vein obstruction and 18 with tributary vein obstruction were examined. The intraocular pressure of both eyes of each subject was measured while he was in the sitting position and again after he had been lying down for 15 minutes. Tonography was then carried out on both eyes. No correlation was found between the value of the coefficient of outflow and the magnitude of the rise in intraocular pressure occurring in any eye on the adoption of the supine position, and no correlation between the relative values of the coefficients of outflow in any pair of eyes and the occurrence of the obstruction in one eye rather than the other.