ASSOCIATION OF INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE AND MYOPIA IN CHILDREN

Purpose: While elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is associated with myopia in adults, its potential influence on the growth of eyes in juv eniles without glaucoma is controversial. To address this issue, a pos sible relation between IOP and refraction in children was sought. Meth ods: A cross-sectional survey of IOP was conducted in children present ing to the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at The Children's Hospi tal of Philadelphia for a complete eye examination. Measurement of IOP was attempted in all children, including those with amblyopia, premat urity, and strabismus, Exclusion criteria were abnormalities of the po sterior pole and/or conditions such as cataract that precluded assessm ent of refractive error. For analysis, myopia was defined as a spheric al equivalent of more than 1 diopter (D) of myopia. Logistic regressio n was used to assess the association between other patient characteris tics and presence of myopia. Results: Intraocular pressure testing was attempted in all age groups, but was more successful in older childre n. Reliable readings were obtained on 321 subjects. The mean age was 9 .8 years, with a mean IOP of 17.3 mmHg in the right eye and 17.2 mmHg in the left and a mean spherical equivalent of +0.2 D in the right eye and +0.1 D in the left. Increasing age, a family history of myopia, a nd amblyopia were associated with myopia. Increasing IOP also was rela ted to myopia. Even when patients with amblyopia, strabismus, and prem aturity were excluded, age, family history of myopia, and IOP again we re associated with myopia. Conclusions: These results indicate that IO P in children may be higher in myopic than nonmyopic eyes. Whether IOP could contribute to the mechanisms causing the abnormal eye growth of childhood myopia requires further study,