Ocular hypertension and central corneal thickness.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether ocular hypertension (OHT) is over diagnosed in patients with increased corneal thickness.


METHODS
Thirty-six patients with OHT were compared with 29 control subjects and 31 patients with glaucoma. Corneal thickness was determined by ultrasonic pachymetry and measured at a single point, 1.5 mm temporal to the corneal light reflex.


RESULTS
The corneal thickness (mean +/- standard deviation) in patients with OHT was 0.610 +/- 0.033 mm. This was significantly greater than in patients with glaucoma (0.557 +/- 0.039 mm) and control subjects (0.567 +/- 0.036 mm).


CONCLUSIONS
It is well documented that increased corneal thickness leads to artificially high estimations of intraocular pressure. This study confirms that a significant number of patients with OHT have a normal intraocular pressure if corneal thickness is taken into account. Corneal pachymetry is clinically helpful in estimating intraocular pressure, determining the risk of visual loss, and establishing a target pressure.
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Fort Wayne Glaucoma Center, IN 46804, USA.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography