You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Clinical science
Extended reports
Age differences in central and peripheral intraocular pressure using a rebound tonometer
  1. J M González-Méijome1,
  2. J Jorge1,
  3. A Queirós1,
  4. P Fernandes1,
  5. R Montés-Micó2,
  6. J B Almeida1,
  7. M A Parafita3
  1. 1Department of Physics (Optometry), School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
  2. 2Department of Optics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
  3. 3Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), School of Optics and Optometry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
  1. Correspondence to: Dr J M González-Méijome Department of Physics (Optometry), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; jgmeijome{at}fisica.uminho.pt

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the influence of age on the measurements and relationships among central and peripheral intraocular pressure (IOP) readings taken with a rebound tonometer.

Methods: The IOPs were measured using the ICare rebound tonometer on the right eyes of 217 patients (88 men and 129 women) aged 18–85 years (mean 45.9 (SD 19.8) years), at the centre and at 2 mm from the nasal and temporal limbus along the horizontal meridian. Three age groups were established: young (⩽30 years old; n = 75), middle aged (31–60 years old; n = 77) and old patients (>60 years old; n = 65).

Results: A high correlation was found between the central and peripheral IOP readings, with the central readings being higher than the peripheral ones. Higher IOP values for the central location were found in the younger patients. Older patients had significantly lower temporal IOP readings than those for the remaining two groups (p<0.001), whereas no significant differences were found among groups when IOP was measured at the central and nasal locations. A significant decrease was observed in the nasal and temporal IOP readings as the age increased (p = 0.011 and 0.006, respectively).

Conclusion: Older patients had lower IOP values than the middle-aged and younger patients in the temporal peripheral location. A negative correlation was found between age and IOP by rebound tonometry in the corneal periphery but not in its centre.

  • GAT, Goldmann applanation tonometry
  • IOP, intraocular pressure
  • NCT, non-contact tonometry

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2006.103044

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    View Full Text

    Footnotes

    • Published Online First 2 August 2006

    • Competing interests: None of the authors has a proprietary interest in the ICare rebound tonometer.

    • Part of this work was presented at the Third International Conference of Optometry and Visual Science (CIOCV_UM2006) held at the University of Minho, Braga, Portugal, 8–9 April 2006.

    Linked Articles