Existence and role of endogenous ocular melatonin.

The proposed role of melatonin as an endogenously synthesized modulator of intraocular pressure in the eye was investigated. Melatonin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in the iris, ciliary body and retina-choroid of pinealectomized or sham-operated chickens by day and by night. Pinealectomy had no effect on melatonin levels in the ciliary body or retina of chicken eyes; a diurnal rhythm continued to be observed in these tissues, with values higher by night than by day. Chloroform-extracted melatonin levels in the rabbit ciliary body showed a diurnal rhythm but melatonin levels in rabbit retina did not. Intracameral infusion of melatonin into cat eyes caused aqueous humor synthesis to decrease but caused a greater decrease in aqueous humor outflow facility, leading to a significant increase in intraocular pressure. The results suggest that melatonergic mechanisms in the eye could be responsible for the diurnal rhythm in IOP, and the synthesis and diurnal rhythm of this melatonin are independent of the pineal gland.