AIM: To determine the value of 24-hour intraocular pressure(IOP)monitoring in routine clinical practice of suspects of glaucoma.

METHODS:Fifty-one suspects of glaucoma(51 eyes)were selected for 24-hour IOP monitoring without any anti-glaucoma therapy. Goldmann tonometer was used for 24-hour IOP measurement.

RESULTS: In all of 51 eyes, there were only 21(41.2%)eyes with IOP kept in normal range and IOP variation amplitude under 6mmHg, 30 eyes(58.8%)were with large diurnal fluctuations in IOP or the peak IOP up to 21mmHg. The IOP of the 7 eyes were with intraocular hypertension only at night, with highest IOP of 54mmHg, with daytime IOP relieved to normal range. The 24-hour IOP monitoring were higher than of the daytime IOP measurement(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION:Compared with the daytime IOP measurement, the 24-hour IOP monitoring could identify diurnal IOP and/or IOP spikes better.