Distribution and determinants of intraocular pressure in a normal pediatric population

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the intraocular pressure (IOP) of a normal pediatric population under topical anesthesia without sedation and its correlation with other ocular parameters.

Subjects and methods: The IOP of 810 eyes of 405 patients with ages ranging from 0 to 12 years was measured using the Perkins applanation tonometer. Cooperative patients also underwent pachymetry, refraction, and biometry measurements.

Results: The mean (+/- standard deviation) age was 6.68 (+/- 3.28) years, with a mean (+/- standard deviation) IOP of 12.02 (+/- 3.74) mm Hg. IOP showed an increasing trend with age (correlation coefficieit [r] = 0.49) and tended to approach adult levels by 12 years of age. The IOP correlated directly with refraction (r = 0.69) and pachymetry (r = 0.39) and inversely with axial length (r = -0.1).

Conclusions: The IOP in children is much lower than that in adults. It was noted to increase with age, hyperopia, and corneal thickness and was inversely proportional to axial length.