A Comparative Study of Intraocular Pressure in Emmetropic and Myopic Subjects in Raichur City

Myopia is one of the most growing problems worldwide. It is now generally accepted that there is increased prevalence of glaucoma among myopic eyes. Several studies concluded that myopic eyes have 1.6 to 3.3 times increased risk of glaucoma. One of the reason why glaucoma is common among myopic eyes is higher incidence of increased intraocular pressure in myopic eyes compared to emmetropic eyes. The present study is conducted in view to analyze the correlation that exists between intraocular pressure and myopia. By simple random method seventy five myopia cases attending Ophthalmology outpatient department, aged 40years and above were selected. They were categorized into three groups as High myopia ( > -6D), Moderate myopia (-3D to -6D) and Low myopia ( < -3D). Seventy five emmetropic subjects (Normal) belonging to same age group were selected as control group. Visual acuity was determined by Snellen’s chart, refractive error diagnosed by retinoscopy. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by two methods indentation method (using Schiotz’s Tonometer) and applanation method (using Perkin’s Tonometer). Student’s t-test for comparison between two groups and one way ANOVA test (Analysis Of Variance) for multiple group comparison was the tool used in analysis of data. In the Correlation of refractive status and IOP measured by Schiotz’s Tonometer as well as Perkin’s Tonometer using student’s unpaired t- test, it is observed that in high myopic ? p ’ value is < 0.001 which is highly significant indicating that high myopic are more prone for increased intra ocular pressure. It was observed that there is association between intraocular pressure and myopia, as the degree of myopia increases, intraocular pressure increases. The study supports the hypothesis that high myopia is one of the important risk factor for ocular hypertension.