TY - JOUR T1 - Wearing swimming goggles can elevate intraocular pressure JF - British Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Br J Ophthalmol SP - 1218 LP - 1221 DO - 10.1136/bjo.2007.136754 VL - 92 IS - 9 AU - W H Morgan AU - T S Cunneen AU - C Balaratnasingam AU - D-Y Yu Y1 - 2008/09/01 UR - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/92/9/1218.abstract N2 - Aim: To examine the acute effects of wearing swimming goggles upon intraocular pressure (IOP).Methods: This research consisted of a Pilot study and a Validation study. Holes were drilled into the faces of 13 different goggles to allow IOP measurement by applanation tonometry. IOP was measured before goggle wear, 2 min after goggle application, 20 min after goggle application and after goggle removal. The Pilot study (n = 15) was initially performed to investigate changes in IOP while wearing five different types of swimming goggles. Anatomical and goggle design parameters from the Pilot study were then used to generate a predictive model and design a Validation study (n = 20). The Validation study tested the predictive model, examined IOP changes using another eight goggles and clarified whether IOP changes were sustained for the duration of goggle wear.Results: IOP increased while wearing goggles by a mean pressure of 4.5 mm Hg (SD 3.7, p<0.001) with this pressure rise being sustained for the duration of goggle wear. A smaller goggle face area (p = 0.013), was consistently associated with greater IOP elevation.Conclusion: These measurements were not taken while swimming, but they suggest that some swimming goggles can elevate IOP. ER -