Age variations in intraocular pressure in a cohort of healthy Austrian school children

Purpose Limited data exist detailing the normal range of intraocular pressure (IOP) for healthy school age children. This study aims to describe the mean and normal range of IOP measurements that may be expected using the Icare rebound tonometer and to examine associations between visual function measures and IOP. Methods Six measurements of IOP from each eye were obtained from 211 normal children aged 6-15 years (79 females and 132 males) using the Icare tonometer. Other measures of visual function obtained included: visual acuity, non-cycloplegic retinoscopy, amplitude of accommodation, accommodative facility, and accommodative response. Results Statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney U test) demonstrated that the male subjects were more likely to have higher IOP measurements than the female subjects (mean IOP males 15.02 mm Hg (SD 2.19), mean IOP females 14.44 (SD 2.01) P = 0.041). Analysis (Spearman's rho) showed a statistically significant association between age and IOP (right eye) in males (P < 0.001) but no association for females (P = 0.459). Using Spearman's rank analysis, statistically significant associations were found between IOP and amplitude of accommodation in males, for the whole data set (P = 0.09) and for data up to age 11 (P < 0.001). For females no statistically significant association was found for the whole data set (P = 0.253) or for data up to age 11 (P = 0.08). IOP was not significantly associated with visual acuity, refractive error, accommodative facility, or accommodative response. Conclusion This study provides useful normative IOP data using the Icare tonometer for a European cohort of school age children. Eye (2012) 26, 841-845; doi:10.1038/eye.2012.54; published online 23 March 2012