title: Intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness in premature and full-term newborns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) and central corneal thickness (CCT) in premature and full-term newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  IOP and CCT were determined in 33 premature (mean [± SD] gestational age 31 ± 3 weeks, mean birth weight 1474 ± 354 g) and in 33 full-term white newborns (mean gestational age 39 ± 1 weeks, mean birth weight 2763 ± 574 g). The mean age after birth at measurement was respectively 3 ± 1 weeks and 1 ± 1 weeks. Infants with any ocular abnormalities, such as corneal and iris alterations, congenital cataract, retinopathy, glaucomatous corneal and optic disk changes (horizontal corneal diameter >10 mm Hg, C/D >0.4), or familial congenital glaucoma were excluded. IOP was determined with the use of only topical anesthesia with a Tono-Pen XL tonometer and a wire lid retractor, and then CCT was determined by means of a portable pachymeter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean IOP was 18.9 ± 3.7 mm Hg (range, 13-25) in premature and 17 ± 2.6 mm Hg (range, 12-22) in full-term newborns (P = 0.018 after correction by age after birth). Mean CCT was 599 ± 36 μm (range, 524-720 μm) in premature infants and 576 ± 26 μm (range, 489-650 μm) in the full-term group (P < 0.001 after correction by age after birth). Multivariate analysis showed that IOP increased with increasing CCT (P = 0.025) and that CCT declined with increasing birth weight (P = 0.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In premature newborns, IOP measurements were slightly greater than in full-term newborns because of an increased CCT.
authors.affiliation: First Eye Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Uva
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reibaldi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Teresio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Avitabile
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gagliano
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scollo
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lionetti
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reibaldi
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D019781:Corneal Topography / Q000592:standards*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular / Q000592:standards*