Increased plasma cortisol levels in ocular hypertension.

Significant differences in plasma cortisol levels were found between patients with elevated ocular pressure and those with normal ocular pressure. The higher levels of plasma cortisol occurred in patients with higher ocular pressures. This significant separation was particularly related to the ocular pressure at the time of the plasma cortisol sampling; it was not related to other ocular factors or to systemic factors other than blood pressure (BP). Associated with the difference in levels of plasma cortisol was a significant difference in both systolic and diastolic BP between these two groups. Significant positive correlations were also found between plasma cortisol values and systolic BP and between ocular pressure and systolic BP. We concluded that an elevated plasma cortisol level is closely related to the pressure in the eye at the time of the cortisol sampling.