Purpose: To quantify the relation of blood pressure (BP) and intraocular pressure (IOP) across the clinical range of BP in an older phakic population not using glaucoma medications.
Design: Cross-sectional population-based study
Methods: Seated BP and applanation IOP were measured, and their relation was assessed in regression models.
Results: Mean IOP of the two eyes increased linearly from 14.3 mm Hg for systolic BP <110 mm Hg to 17.7 mm Hg for systolic BP > or =200 mm Hg, a 3.4-mm Hg excursion over this range. Mean IOP also increased from 15.2 mm Hg for diastolic BP <70 to 18.4 mm Hg for diastolic BP > or =120, a similar variance. There were no changes after age and multivariate adjustments for IOP or after excluding undiagnosed glaucoma cases.
Conclusion: A 3-mm linear IOP increase over the clinical spectrum of BP levels was evident; this variance is greater than with most other systemic and ocular parameters.