Refractive errors, intraocular pressure, and glaucoma in a white population.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation of refractive errors to glaucoma and intraocular pressure (IOP) in a defined white population.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional and follow-up study.


METHODS
Persons aged 43 to 86 years living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin (n = 4926).


METHODS
All participants received a standardized assessment of refraction, IOP, and glaucoma at baseline (1988-1990), with IOP remeasured 5 years later (1993-1995). Refraction was defined at baseline as follows: myopia as spherical equivalent of -1.00 diopters (D) or less, emmetropia as -0.75 to +0.75 D, and hyperopia as +1.00 D or more.


METHODS
Relation of baseline refraction to prevalent glaucoma (defined from IOP, optic disc, and visual field criteria) and incident ocular hypertension (defined as IOP more than 21 mmHg at the 5-year examination in eyes with IOP of 21 mmHg or less at baseline).


RESULTS
A myopic refraction was correlated with increasing IOP at baseline (P < 0.001). After controlling for age and gender, persons with myopia were 60% more likely to have prevalent glaucoma than those with emmetropia (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1, 2.3). In contrast, controlling for age, gender, and baseline IOP, persons with hyperopia were 40% more likely to have incident ocular hypertension than those who were emmetropic at baseline (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0, 2.0). Myopia was not related to incident ocular hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
In these population-based data, there was a cross-sectional association of myopia with higher IOP and prevalent glaucoma. Similar associations have been found in previous studies. Hyperopia may be associated with 5-year risk of ocular hypertension, a finding that needs further investigation.
Wong
Tien Yin
TY
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Klein
Barbara E K
BE
Klein
Ronald
R
Knudtson
Michael
M
Lee
Kristine E
KE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000208:ethnology; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000208:ethnology*; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D044465:White People; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology