Aging Effect on Intraocular Pressure and Associated Factors

Kim, Seong Hoon; Won, Chang Won; Choi, Hyun Rim; Kim, Byung Sung; Kim, Young San; Jin, Kyung Hyun

Abstract

Background
: There is a substantial body of evidence that intraocular pressure increase with age among western population. However, Japanese study showed that intraocular pressure was inversely related with age. So we investigated whether intraocular pressure is related with age for Koreans.
Methods
: Between March, 1996 and February, 1997, 6201 subjects underwent comprehensive health examinationinthe Kyung Hee medical screening center in Seoul, Korea. The intraocular pressure was measured with pneumatonograpyh. At the same time blood pressure, body weight, height, serum osmolarity, fasting blood glucose, T3, T4, TSH(thyroid stimulating hormone), hematocrit measurements were performed. We selected 250 case randomly and investigated whether the distribution of C/D ration(cup/disk ratio), smoking status, alcohol drinking amount are uniform by aged group. So we measured C/D ratio by fundusphotograph and investigated smoking and drinking habits by questionnaires.
Results
: In the randomly sampled 250 cases, the amounts of smoking and alcohol consumption were lower in the elderly group. But, the C/D ration didn't show any difference between young and elderly group. In a multivariable analysis, both right and left intraocular pressure showed significantly inverse correlations with aged and visual acuity. Male had significantly higher intraocular pressure than female. Both right and left intraocular pressure showed significant positive correlations with body mass index, fasting blood glucose, hematocrit and systolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure, serum osmolarity, T3 and T4 were not associated with intraocular pressure. TSH had significant positive correlation with right intraocular pressure, but no correlation with left intraocular pressure.
Conclusion
: Age was independently and inversely related with intraocular pressure for Koreans.