IOP IN MYOPIC CHILDREN - THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCREASES IN IOP AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYOPIA

Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured at yearly intervals, from age 7 to 9 years, in 106 Chinese children. The sample had been selected fr om newborn children for participation in a growth and nutrition study, and all children remaining in this study took part in the myopia stud y. As part of an ongoing prospective study to examine factors which ma y be associated with the development of myopia, IOP was compared accor ding to whether the subjects had become myopic or remained non-myopic during the time-frame of the study, During the course of the study 13 children became myopic, There was no difference in the IOP of the inci dent compared with control groups at age 7 years. The IOP of the incid ent group was higher following onset of myopia than it was prior to on set whereas there was no difference in the IOP of the control groups o ver the same period, A high IOP therefore follows the onset of myopia and cannot cause myopia, It is still unknown whether or how myopia cau ses a high IOP. Copyright (C) 1996 The College of Optometrists. Publis hed by Elsevier Science Ltd