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Abstract #55662 Published in IGR 15-4
A saxophonist with severe glaucoma; stop playing or not?
van Angelen MI; van Angelen JH; Zegers RNederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde 2014; 158: A6709
BACKGROUND: Glaucoma is a disease of the eye in which the level of intraocular pressure (IOP) determines the rate of disease progression to an important extent. A less well known cause of IOP elevation is playing a wind instrument. CASE DESCRIPTION: In a 49-year-old man with only one functional eye suffering from advanced glaucoma in the other eye, IOP appeared to double when he played the saxophone. He was advised to stop playing; this advice had serious consequences as the patient was a professional musician. CONCLUSION: Despite limited scientific evidence this advice seems justifiable on account of the patient's relatively young age and the advanced glaucoma .
Classification:
15 Miscellaneous
6.1.3 Factors affecting IOP (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods > 6.1 Intraocular pressure measurement; factors affecting IOP)
