Intraocular pressure (IOP)

Intraocular pressure (IOP) refers to the fluid pressure inside the eye. It results from the balance between production and drainage of aqueous humor by structures such as the ciliary body and its drainage through pathways including the trabecular meshwork and uveoscleral outflow routes. Normal values range from about 10–20 mmHg; sustained elevation increases risk for glaucoma—a leading cause of irreversible blindness—while abnormally low pressures can compromise ocular structure and vision stability. While many therapies aim at lowering elevated IOP in diseases like glaucoma by targeting specific molecules or cellular processes within these regulatory systems, intraocular pressure itself is not considered a direct drug target but rather an important clinical endpoint reflecting underlying biological activity[1][2][3].

Other names

IOPOcular tension

Drugs affecting intraocular pressure act by modulating aqueous humor inflow (production) or outflow (drainage) through mechanisms involving the ciliary body epithelium, trabecular meshwork contractility, and Schlemm’s canal function.