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Normal intraocular pressure in Egyptian children and meta-analysis
Ibrahim Rezkallah Moussa1, Rehab Rashad Kassem2, Noha Ahmed Edris1
1Ophthalmic Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Insights
Normal intraocular pressure in Egyptian children is 11.5 mmHg, correlating with age and corneal thickness. This finding is lower than previously reported in other populations, highlighting ethnic variations in ocular health.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Public Health
Background:
- Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a critical factor in diagnosing glaucoma.
- Establishing normative IOP values in pediatric populations is essential for early detection of ocular conditions.
- Previous studies have shown variations in IOP across different ethnicities and age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the normal range of intraocular pressure in Egyptian children aged 0-12 years.
- To compare these findings with IOP measurements from previous international studies.
- To investigate the correlation between IOP, age, and central corneal thickness in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 187 Egyptian children (345 eyes).
- Intraocular pressure was measured using a Haag Streit Perkins M2 handheld applanation tonometer.
- Central corneal thickness was measured using a handheld pachymeter; glaucomatous patients were excluded.
Main Results:
- The mean intraocular pressure in Egyptian children was 11.5 ± 2.34 mmHg (range 5-20 mmHg).
- Mean central corneal thickness was 564.8 ± 42.72 μm.
- A positive correlation was observed between IOP, age (p=0.026), and central corneal thickness (p=0.037).
Conclusions:
- The mean intraocular pressure in normal Egyptian children is 11.5 mmHg, influenced by age and corneal thickness.
- This measured IOP is significantly lower than that reported in most previous studies globally.
- Findings suggest potential ethnic variations in normal intraocular pressure ranges.
Objective:
To determine the normal intraocular pressure in a sample of Egyptian children 0-12 years of age, and compare it to that recorded in previous studies.
Methods:
This is a prospective cross-sectional study, including 345 eyes. All children underwent complete history taking and ophthalmic examination. Any glaucomatous patients or glaucoma suspects were excluded. Intraocular pressure was measured using Haag Streit Perkins M2 handheld applanation tonometer under topical or general anaesthesia. Three readings were recorded for each eye and the average was calculated. Central corneal thickness was measured, using handheld pachymeter (Pachmate 2), whenever possible.
Results:
The study included 345 eyes of 187 children (101 males and 86 females), aged 2 months to 12 years (mean: 5.69 ± 3.42 years). The recorded IOP was 5-20 mm Hg (mean: 11.5 ± 2.34 mm Hg). Central corneal thickness was 469-742 μm (mean: 564.8 ± 42.72 μm). The mean recorded intraocular pressure showed positive correlation with increased age (p = 0.026) and increased central corneal thickness (p = 0.037), with a difference of 1 mm Hg for every 100-μm change in central corneal thickness. The mean IOP was significantly lower than that recorded by most previous studies. A detailed comparative analysis is presented comparing our findings with other studies including grouped analysis, by country, ethnicity and tonometers used.
Conclusions:
The mean IOP in a group of normal Egyptian children was 11.5 ± 2.34 mm Hg, with positive correlation to age and central corneal thickness. This mean intraocular pressure was lower than that previously reported in any other population.
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