Intraocular pressure of adults in a coastal province in southern China: the Fujian cross-sectional eye study

Abstract

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is widely recognized as the most important modifiable risk factor for the development of glaucoma. In order to arouse people's attention to glaucoma, this study set out to describe IOP and its related factors in adults living in urban and rural areas of Fujian, a coastal province in southern China. A population-based cross-sectional study (the Fujian Eye Study) was conducted from May 2018 to October 2019. The study enrolled 10,044 residents of Fujian aged 50 years and over to participate in a questionnaire and a series of physical and ocular examinations, such as height, weight, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), visual acuity (VA), IOP, slit lamp and fundus examinations. Participants were divided into subgroups by age, sex, region, refraction, and other characteristics. IOP was measured with the handheld iCare rebound tonometer. A total of 8,211 individuals were included, of whom 8,153 underwent IOP examination. The mean IOP was 13.88±3.46 mmHg (median, 14 mmHg; range, 5-57 mmHg). Multiple regression analysis revealed that IOP was associated with age, sex, refraction, SBP, living in an inland area, smartphone use in the dark, and a history of chronic diseases. However, IOP was statistically independent of living in an urban or rural area, body mass index, DBP, tobacco use, alcohol use, and tea consumption. Additional vision-related policies targeting younger women, people with high SBP, myopia, and chronic diseases, and those living in inland areas are needed in future.