title: The short-term influence of elevated intraocular pressure on axial length.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of a short period of elevated IOP (induced through the wearing of standard swimming goggles) upon axial length.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty young adult subjects (20 myopes and 20 emmetropes, mean age 22 ± 2 years) had their IOP and axial length measured before, during and after a 3 min period of swimming goggle wear. IOP was measured using a non-contact tonometer, and axial length with an optical biometer based upon the principle of partial coherence interferometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 3-min period of swimming goggle wear was found to be associated with a significant increase in IOP (mean change 3.7 ± 2.6 mmHg, p < 0.0001) and a significant axial elongation of the eye (mean change in axial length of 18 ± 12 μm, p < 0.0001). Both IOP and axial length were found to return to baseline levels upon removal of the swimming goggles. A significant positive association was found between the changes in IOP and axial length (r(2) = 0.37, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the emmetropic and myopic subjects in terms of their magnitude of change in axial length and IOP during swimming goggle wear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A small magnitude of elevation in IOP, induced through mechanical means and imposed for a short period of time was associated with a small but statistically significant axial elongation of the eye.
authors.affiliation: Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory, School of Optometry, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. sa.read@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Teagan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Annis-Brown
authors.forename: Natasha M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lillyman
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherwin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stockall
mesh_terms: D058452:Axial Length, Eye / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods*; D058453:Emmetropia / Q000502:physiology*; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult