The normal intraocular pressure is:

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2020

Explanation

The accepted physiological range for normal intraocular pressure (IOP) in a healthy adult eye is between 10 and 21 mm of Hg.
This pressure is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity and spherical shape of the eyeball.
A balance between the production and drainage of aqueous humor is what maintains the IOP within this normal range.
Values outside this range, either too low or too high, can indicate underlying ocular pathology.

Option A: A range of 0-10 mm of Hg is considered ocular hypotony, which is abnormally low pressure.
Option C: A range of 20-31 mm of Hg is considered elevated and is termed ocular hypertension.
Option D: A range of 30-41 mm of Hg represents dangerously high intraocular pressure.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Normal physiological range of intraocular pressure (IOP) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in educating patients about glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness, which is directly related to elevated IOP. Regular eye check-ups are crucial for early detection.
Patients prescribed corticosteroid eye drops must be monitored for increases in IOP, as this is a common side effect.
Nurses should instruct patients to avoid activities that cause a Valsalva maneuver (e.g., straining, heavy lifting), as these can temporarily increase IOP.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the 'normal intraocular pressure'.
This is a factual recall question that requires knowledge of a specific physiological value.
Recall the standard range for IOP from your studies. The normal range is widely established.
Evaluate the given options against the known normal range.
The range '10-21 mm of Hg' directly matches the accepted normal value.
Eliminate the other options by recognizing them as either too low (hypotony) or too high (ocular hypertension/glaucoma risk).

Concept Tested & Keywords

QA4yZJbCeoyGuF2g2vJhp9

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 1 p. 94-96

E6 Physiology Guyton 4SAE Part 3 p. 146-148

Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2020

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.