[Correlation between intraocular pressure, paquimetry and keratometry in a normal population]

Abstract

Purpose: To study the intraocular pressure (IOP), the corneal thickness and the corneal curvature distribution in a normal population. To investigate the relation between these variables, and to determine if the IOP and the paquimetry will be modified by the refractive error and age.

Methods: A population of 273 subjects, 545 eyes, without ocular pathology was selected. The refractive error, the corneal curvature, the corneal thickness and the IOP [with a non-contact tonometer (NCT) and with a Goldmann tonometer (GT)] were evaluated.

Results: The average age of the population was 49.34 (SD 7.23) years (27-68). The average corneal thickness was 544.3 (SD 33) mm in females and 543.1 (SD 29) mm in males. An inverse correlation was found between corneal thickness and age but this was not significant statistically. A mildly statistically significant correlation was found between corneal thickness and intraocular pressure with both methods of measurement of IOP: r = 0.316 (p < 0,001) and r = 0.264 (p < 0,001), with NCT and GT respectively. No correlation was found between corneal thickness and refractive error, or with mean corneal curvature. In the regression model, corneal thickness and mean corneal curvature were significant in the IOP prediction: R = 0.341 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Mean corneal thickness was very similar to that reported in other studies of a latin population. A statistically significant inferior corneal thickness has been found in people older than 54 years. The relationship between the corneal thickness and the corneal curvature with the IOP has been calculated by linear regression analyses.