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Normal intraocular pressure in children
S Pensiero1, S Da Pozzo, P Perissutti
1Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Trieste, Italy.
Insights
Infants and young children have lower normal intraocular pressure (IOP) than adults. Maintaining age-appropriate IOP levels is crucial for treating infantile glaucoma and preventing vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a key factor in eye health.
- Understanding normal IOP trends in children is essential for diagnosing and managing glaucoma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the age-related trend of normal intraocular pressure (IOP) from birth to 16 years.
- To establish a normal IOP increase curve for pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- A noncontact tonometer (Keeler Pulsair) was used to measure IOP in 460 subjects.
- Data were collected on subjects from birth through their 16th year of life.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower IOP values were observed in subjects up to 3-4 years of age compared to adults.
- A gradual increase in IOP was noted from infancy through adolescence.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric glaucoma treatment should aim to maintain IOP within age-specific physiological levels.
- Adhering to age-appropriate IOP targets may help prevent visual field loss and optic atrophy in infants.
Abstract:
The age-related trend values and the normal intraocular pressure (IOP) increase curve from birth through the 16th year of life were studied in 460 subjects with a noncontact tonometer (Keeler Pulsair, Keeler, Ltd, Windsor, Berks, UK). Much lower values than in adults were recorded in subjects up to the age of 3 or 4 years. This finding leads us to believe that in the treatment of infantile glaucoma IOP should be kept within the age physiologic levels, in an attempt to prevent visual field loss and optic atrophy.