Age-dependency of ocular parameters : a cross sectional study of young and elderly healthy subjects

• To investigate the effect of aging on ocular parameters, including intraocular pressure (IOP), measured with different tonometry methods in healthy young (HY) and healthy elderly (HE) subjects and to study the effect of corneal parameters on tonometry methods. In this prospective, cross-sectional study, fifty eyes of 50 HY subjects (28 females, 22-31 years of age) and 43 eyes of 43 HE subjects (22 females, 64-79) were included. IOP was measured with four tonometry methods in a standardized order: ocular response analyser (ORA), dynamic contour tonometry (DCT), applanation resonance tonometry (ART) and Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT). Other measurements included axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal curvature (CC), anterior chamber volume (ACV), corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF). The mean IOP (HY/HE; mmHg +/- standard deviation (SD)) was 12.2 +/- 2.2/14.1 +/- 3.5 with GAT. IOP was significantly higher (difference +/- standard error) in HE compared to HY measured with an ORA (+3.1 mmHg +/- 0.6), GAT (+1.9 +/- 0.6) and DCT (+1.6 +/- 0.6). No significant difference was found in IOP measured with ART. CH and ACV were significantly lower in HE compared to HY. There was no difference between the groups in CCT, CC, AL or CRF. No tonometry method was dependant on CCT or CC. IOP measured with an ORA and via DCT and GAT was higher in HE compared to HY Swedish subjects, while IOP measured with ART did not differ between the groups. In these homogeneous groups, tonometry methods were independent of CCT and CC.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Oftalmologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Ophthalmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Intraocular pressure

Age dependency

Central corneal thickness

Corneal curvature

Ocular response analyser

Dynamic contour tonometry

Applanation resonance tonometry

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)