Effect of intravenous cardiac glycosides on the aqueous humour dynamics of the cat.

PREVious investigation by Simon, Bonting, and Hawkins (1962) indicated that intravenous cardiac glycosides caused a significant fall in the rate of aqueous humour formation in the cat eye. Langham (1963), using rabbits and cats, and Becker (1963), using rabbits, were not able to demonstrate this effect. Becker, using an intravitreal injection of cardiac glycosides, was able to demonstrate a fall in intraocular pressure. The use of cardiac glycosides in the clinical treatment of glaucoma has been reported by Simon and others (1962), who were able to demonstrate a measurable fall in the intra-ocular pressure. Smith and Mickatavage (1963) showed that topical cardiac glycosides caused a measurable, though slight, fall in intraocular pressure. This report concerns experimental work on cats. The method used by Simon and others (1962) has been substantially repeated.