Intraocular Pressure In Children Research Articles

The correlation between body mass index and intraocular pressure in children without Down syndrome and children with Down syndrome

The correlation between body mass index and intraocular pressure in children without Down syndrome and children with Down syndrome

Myopia prevalence and ocular biometry in children and adolescents at different altitudes: a cross-sectional study in Chongqing and Tibet, China

ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in myopia prevalence and ocular biometry in children and adolescents in Chongqing and Tibet, China.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThe study included children and adolescents aged 6–18 years in Chongqing,...

Impact of atropine use for myopia control on intraocular pressure in children: A comprehensive review including postpupil dilation intraocular pressure changes.

Topical atropine has been widely used for controlling myopia progression in children, yet its long-term efficacy and safety, including potential intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation, are still being studied. The mydriasis and cyclopegia induced by atropine may reduce traction on the trabecular meshwork, together with pigment released into anterior chamber due to the friction between the iris and lens during pupil dilation, may obstruct and reduce the trabecular outflow. This review first explores postdilation IOP changes across different groups - healthy individuals, glaucoma patients, and children. The response to pupil dilation varies widely, with IOP potentially increasing or decreasing. Glaucoma patients, whether with open or closed-angle glaucoma, may experience more significant IOP rises postdilation. The second section examines IOP effects in children using topical atropine for myopia, where most of the 25 reviewed studies showed nonsignificant IOP changes, although slight increases were observed in a few. In addition, no alterations in the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were found. However, the research on children's IOP under topical atropine is constrained by small sample sizes, cross-sectional studies, brief follow-ups, and often lacks control groups or pretreatment IOP measurements. Given the extended atropine use for myopia and the significant individual variation in IOP response, we recommend routine IOP monitoring for children receiving topical atropine.

Identifying and Exploring the Impact Factors for Intraocular Pressure Prediction in Myopic Children with Atropine Control Utilizing Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines.

The treatment of childhood myopia often involves the use of topical atropine, which has been demonstrated to be effective in decelerating the progression of myopia. It is crucial to monitor intraocular pressure (IOP) to ensure the safety of topical atropine. This study aims to identify the optimal machine learning IOP-monitoring module and establish a precise baseline IOP as a clinical safety reference for atropine medication. Data from 1545 eyes of 1171 children receiving atropine for myopia were retrospectively analyzed. Nineteen variables including patient demographics, medical history, refractive error, and IOP measurements were considered. The data were analyzed using a multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) model to analyze the impact of different factors on the End IOP. The MARS model identified age, baseline IOP, End Spherical, duration of previous atropine treatment, and duration of current atropine treatment as the five most significant factors influencing the End IOP. The outcomes revealed that the baseline IOP had the most significant effect on final IOP, exhibiting a notable knot at 14 mmHg. When the baseline IOP was equal to or exceeded 14 mmHg, there was a positive correlation between atropine use and End IOP, suggesting that atropine may increase the End IOP in children with a baseline IOP greater than 14 mmHg. MARS model demonstrates a better ability to capture nonlinearity than classic multiple linear regression for predicting End IOP. It is crucial to acknowledge that administrating atropine may elevate intraocular pressure when the baseline IOP exceeds 14 mmHg. These findings offer valuable insights into factors affecting IOP in children undergoing atropine treatment for myopia, enabling clinicians to make informed decisions regarding treatment options.

Central Corneal Thickness and Intraocular Pressure in Children with Type I Diabetes Mellitus.

The aim of this study is to determine the mean central corneal thickness (CCT) and mean intraocular pressure (IOP) in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to determine the relationship between CCT and IOP on the one hand and age, gender, retinopathy hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and duration of diabetes on the other. This is a case-control, hospital-based study conducted at Hospital ___________ between January and November 2022. Thirty-eight children with T1DM were recruited as cases, and 38 healthy children were recruited as controls. The cases and controls then underwent ophthalmic examination, IOP measurement, and CCT measurement using optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the right eye. The IOP measurements were adjusted for CCT for further analysis. The means CCT and IOP values were significantly higher in the T1DM group than in the control group (p-value<0.02 respectively). The mean CCT was 542.18 ± 20.40 µm in the T1DM group, and 529.52 ± 26.17 µm in the control group. The mean IOP was 14.68 ± 1.98 mmHg in the T1DM group, and 13.52 ± 1.66 mmHg in the control group. The mean HbA1c was 10.68 ± 2.49% in the T1DM group. Age and duration of diabetes mellitus (DM) were found to have a significant association with CCT in children with T1DM. The duration of DM was also found to be significantly associated with the IOP. Gender and HbA1c levels were found to have no significant relationship with either CCT or IOP. Children with T1DM have significantly higher CCT and IOP than the average child. The duration of DM is a significant factor that impacts both CCT and IOP. In addition, age is another factor that affects CCT in children with T1DM.

A Cross-sectional Observational Study to Assess the Influence of 1% Cyclopentolate and 1% Tropicamide on Intraocular Pressure in Children Undergoing Cycloplegic Refraction at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern India

Introduction: Cycloplegic refraction is necessary in children due to their high amplitude of accommodation. A combination of Tropicamide and Cyclopentolate is commonly used as cycloplegics in children. These medications can cause a substantial elevation in Intraocular Pressure (IOP) in a few susceptible children. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the changes in IOP when 1% Cyclopentolate and 1% Tropicamide were used for cycloplegic refraction in children. Aim: To assess the influence of 1% Cyclopentolate eyedrops and 1% Tropicamide eyedrops on IOP in children undergoing cycloplegic refraction and to compare the changes in IOP between the hypermetropic and myopic groups before and after cycloplegia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in the Outpatient Department (OPD) of Ophthalmology at KLE’s Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belagavi, in Northern Karnataka, India over a duration of six months. The study included 55 children in the age group of 5-15 years who met the inclusion criteria. All children underwent visual acuity assessment and a detailed examination of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Refraction was expressed in terms of Spherical Equivalence (SE), calculated as sphere plus half of the cylinder. Based on the SE calculated after refraction, children were diagnosed as having either myopia or hypermetropia as types of refractive error. Data were analysed using International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics (Version 25.0, Chicago, IL, USA). Categorical variables were represented as frequency and percentages, while continuous variables were represented as Mean±Standard Deviation (SD). A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the 55 children included in the study, 25 children were hypermetropic, and 30 children were myopic based on the calculated SE. Among the total of 55 children, 34 were girls, and 21 were boys. The mean age of the 55 children was 10.98±2.4 years. The mean age of the myopic group was 11.97±2.21 years, while the hypermetropic group had a mean age of 9.74±3.29 years. The mean precycloplegic IOP was 14.21±2.76 mmHg, and the mean postcycloplegic IOP was 15.19±3.25 mmHg. The change in IOP was statistically significant (p≤0.0001). In the hypermetropic group of 25 children, the mean precycloplegic IOP was 13.74±2.55 mmHg, while the mean postcycloplegic IOP was 15.10±3.65 mmHg. There was a significant difference in IOP (p=0.0242). In the myopic group of 30, the mean precycloplegic IOP was 14.47±2.86 mmHg, while the postcycloplegic IOP was 15.08±2.86 mmHg. There was no statistically significant change in IOP in the myopic group (p=0.0669). After cycloplegic mydriasis, 2 eyes (3.7%) experienced an increase in IOP greater than 7 mmHg. Conclusion: Cycloplegic mydriasis using 1% Cyclopentolate and 0.8% Tropicamide caused a significant increase in IOP in a few children, with a higher increase observed in hypermetropic children compared to myopic children. Therefore, ophthalmologists should exercise caution and monitor IOP changes in children undergoing cycloplegic refraction to manage any transient rise in IOP and prevent damage to the optic nerve.

Possibilities of monitoring intraocular pressure in children using EASYTON transpalpebral tonometer

PurposeTo compare the effectiveness of transpalpebral scleral tonometry (TPST) and corneal pneumotonometry in children, and assess the discomfort level when measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) by these methods.MethodsTPST using EASYTON tonometer (Russia) and pneumotonometry using Reichert 7 Non-contact AutoTonometer (USA) have been sequentially performed on 84 eyes (42 children aged 5–14, ave. 9.3 ± 2.7), including 64 myopic eyes (-0.5 to 6.75D), 18 hyperopic eyes (+ 0.75 to + 3.75D), and 2 emmetropic eyes. We assessed tolerance to the procedure on a five-point scale using a questionnaire which listed several criteria: discomfort, presence of pain, fear or anxiety during the procedure, the child's resistance to measurement.ResultsEASYTON tonometry demonstrated repeatability of IOP indicators when measuring the same eye three times sequentially and almost the same IOP level in paired eyes of isometropic children. Pneumotonometry reveals a greater individual data variability and a more pronounced asymmetry of the paired eyes’ indicators. IOP measured using the TPST was 18.3 ± 2.3 mmHg across the whole group, 18.2 ± 2.3 mmHg in myopic, and 18.5 ± 2.3 mmHg in hyperopic children. With pneumotonometry, the corresponding indicators were 17.1 ± 3.9 mmHg, 16.9 ± 3.8 mmHg, and 18.2 ± 4.0 mmHg. The average score for the TPST (4.64 ± 0.60 points) was significantly higher than that for pneumotonometry (3.85 ± 0.90 points) (p < 0.05).ConclusionsTPST provides broader possibilities for IOP control in pediatric practice, yielding more reliable and accurate results than pneumotonometry, eliminating the influence of corneal thickness and irregularity on the measurement result, and ensuring a calmer behavior and more comfort of children during the procedure.

Central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in children with congenital glaucoma

Clinical studies were carried out in the eye department of the clinic at the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute. The study involved 18 patients (36 eyes) aged 9 to 11 years (mean age 9.3±1.6 years) with confirmed diagnosis of CG. All patients underwent basic ophthalmologic examination prior to surgical and conservative treatment. In addition to basic methods, axial eye length and CCT were determined using an automatic non-contact tonometer/pachymeter manufactured by NIDEK (USA). Analysis of the obtained data showed that in initial, moderate and advanced stages of glaucoma, the CCT values were significantly lower than the age norm values. This indicates stretching of the fibrous capsule and thinning of the cornea in glaucoma. In terminal stage CG, the CCT values practically did not differ from the age norm, but were higher than in initial, moderate and advanced stages of the disease. The noted thickening of the corneal membrane in terminal stage may be explained by edema of the corneal tissue as a result of elevated IOP. The age norm values of CCT should be taken into account when characterizing the severity of glaucomatous process in children. Compared to the age norm, the cornea is significantly thinner in children aged 9 to 11 years with initial, moderate and advanced stages of CG, and becomes significantly thicker in terminal stage, which is associated with edema caused by elevated IOP.

Evaluating the Effect of Topical Atropine Use for Myopia Control on Intraocular Pressure by Using Machine Learning.

Atropine is a common treatment used in children with myopia. However, it probably affects intraocular pressure (IOP) under some conditions. Our research aims to analyze clinical data by using machine learning models to evaluate the effect of 19 important factors on intraocular pressure (IOP) in children with myopia treated with topical atropine. The data is collected on 1545 eyes with spherical equivalent (SE) less than −10.0 diopters (D) treated with atropine for myopia control. Four machine learning models, namely multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), classification and regression tree (CART), random forest (RF), and eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), were used. Linear regression (LR) was used for benchmarking. The 10-fold cross-validation method was used to estimate the performance of the five methods. The main outcome measure is that the 19 important factors associated with atropine use that may affect IOP are evaluated using machine learning models. Endpoint IOP at the last visit was set as the target variable. The results show that the top five significant variables, including baseline IOP, recruitment duration, age, total duration and previous cumulative dosage, were identified as most significant for evaluating the effect of atropine use for treating myopia on IOP. We can conclude that the use of machine learning methods to evaluate factors that affect IOP in children with myopia treated with topical atropine is promising. XGBoost is the best predictive model, and baseline IOP is the most accurate predictive factor for endpoint IOP among all machine learning approaches.

The relationship between axial length, age and intraocular pressure in children with primary congenital glaucoma

Whilst axial length (AxL) from ultrasound examination is a useful clinical parameter for monitoring progression in younger children with glaucoma, distinguishing AxL changes due to raised intraocular pressure (IOP) from age is often challenging. Existing normograms have included a limited number of children with glaucoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between AxL with age and IOP in children with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) and develop a model for expected AxL increase with age. All children (n = 208; 397 eyes) with PCG who attended our tertiary eye care facility from June 2014 and July 2018 and had AxL and IOP measurements were included. The relationship of AxL with age and IOP was studied by applying a LOWESS fit and then mixed effects models. In the final model, age was the most significant factor influencing the growth of AxL (coefficient age 3.14[95% CI 2.91–3.35, p < 0.001], coefficient age2 − 0.53[95% CI, − 0.59 to − 0.47, p < 0.001]), and this association was influenced by the interaction of IOP with sex (p = 0.098 for girls relative to boys), the number of antiglaucoma medications (AGM [p < 0.001 for ≥ 3 AGM]) and glaucoma surgery (p = 0.015). This model enabled us to derive predicted values for clinical use in children with PCG to predict those with progressive glaucoma.

Ketamine impact on intraocular pressure of children

Introduction: Intraocular pressure (IOP) measuring in children is a defiant challenge for ophthalmologists due to the unwillingness to collaborate of patient; therefore, it is necessary to perform these examinations under anesthesia (EUA) in order to facilitate the measuring. Among the anesthetic drugs, ketamine is safe in both children and adults and different studies have stated that it might have lower impact on IOP than other anesthetic drugs. Objective: To determine whether ketamine has any impact on IOP in pediatric patients. Also, defining if this drug can be recommended to perform EUA in children with glaucoma. Methods: Systematic review of literature was conducted including articles published in Ovid, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and LILACS from January 1970 to February 2019. The studies included were those with patients aged under 18 years to whom ocular tonometry had been performed. Intervention consisted on administering ketamine and the primary outcome to be assessed was changes in IOP after ketamine administration. Intra operative and postoperative complications were also assessed as secondary outcomes. Report is made according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines. Results: Nine studies were selected for the systematic review. The administration of ketamine and its effects on intraocular pressure values were described in 293 children. Three studies found rising of intraocular pressure and 6 little or clinically not significant changes. Conclusion: In children, there is low-quality evidence that suggests a minimal impact of ketamine on IOP modification. Better quality studies (controlled clinical trials) are required to clearly recommend the use of ketamine to perform EUA in children with glaucoma.

Effect of Long-term Oral Steroids on Intraocular Pressure in Children With Autoimmune Hepatitis: a Prospective Cohort Study.

Topical corticosteroids are known to cause raised intraocular pressure (IOP). However, there is a scarcity of literature regarding systemic steroids-induced raised IOP in children. The authors aimed to evaluate the IOP in children with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) receiving oral prednisone. In this prospective study, children (1 to 18 y) with newly diagnosed AIH who received oral prednisone (July 2016 to December 2017) were included. Comprehensive ophthalmic check-up, including visual acuity, IOP, slit-lamp, and fundus examinations were done before and at 1, 3, and 6 months of follow-up. IOP ≥20 mm Hg was considered raised IOP. Symptomatic raised IOP patients were managed with antiglaucoma medication with a tapering dose of prednisone. A total of 33 children (19 boys) with a median age of 11 (3 to 18) years were analyzed. Raised IOP was observed in 20 (61%) children (19 were moderate and 1 was high responder) at 1 month, 8 (24%) at 3 months, and 1 (3%) at 6 months of treatment. Patients who developed raised IOP had a more severe liver disease in terms of decompensation and low albumin and high pediatric end-stage liver disease scores at presentation. There was no correlation between IOP and starting and cumulative dose of steroids. On multivariate analysis, decompensation at presentation was significantly associated with raised IOP (P<0.001; odds ratio, 30; 95% confidence interval, 4.2-210.6). Raised IOP returned to normal with antiglaucoma medication along with prednisone tapering in all except one. Systemic corticosteroids in children with AIH carry a risk for IOP elevation, especially in decompensated liver disease. A periodic ophthalmic check-up is necessary for early recognition and intervention before irreversible vision loss.

Micropulsed diode laser cyclophotocoagulation in recurrent pediatric glaucoma.

To evaluate the intermediate-term efficacy and safety of micropulsed diode laser cyclophotocoagulation in recurrent pediatric glaucoma. A prospective interventional study included children <16 years old diagnosed with recurrent glaucoma, attending Mansoura University, during the period from July 2017 to November 2017. Micropulsed diode laser sessions were performed in all the cases. The main outcome was the intraocular pressure reduction with monitoring of complications as secondary outcome. The mean follow-up period was 15.08 ± 1.1 (mean: 12-16) months. A total of 36 eyes of 29 patients were included (62% males) with median age of 24 months. Primary congenital glaucoma represented 47.2% of the initial diagnoses. At the 15th month, the mean intraocular pressure dropped significantly from 37.5 ± 11.3 mmHg at baseline to 20.03 ± 2.7 mmHg (p < 0.001) with 37.15% reduction. The mean number of glaucoma medications decreased significantly from 2.6 ± 0.5 pretreatment to 1.7 ± 0.6 at the 15th month (p < 0.001). A total of 24 eyes (66.7%) required second session of treatment with mean number of 1.7 ± 0.5 sessions per eye. The cumulative probability of qualified success was 69.4%, 58.3%, 52.8%, 47.2%, and 41.7% at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 15 months after treatment. Qualified success was achieved in 61% at 15 months without statistically significant difference between the initial diagnoses (p = 0.61). None of the eyes developed any major ocular complications throughout the follow-up period. Micropulsed diode laser was proved to be a safe approach with relative effectiveness in controlling intraocular pressure in children with recurrent glaucoma.

Micropulse Versus Continuous Wave Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation in Refractory Pediatric Glaucoma.

The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of micropulse cyclophotocoagulation (MP-CPC) and transscleral continuous wave cyclophotocoagulation (CW-CPC) for the treatment of refractory glaucoma in the pediatric age group. This prospective study included 45 eyes of 36 children requiring transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, in the period spanning from September 2016 to August 2017, using micropulse (MP-CPC) or continuous wave (CW-CPC) modes. The intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction, success rates, and complications were compared for both groups. Success was defined as an IOP of 5 to 21 mm Hg, in the absence of vision-threatening complications at 6 months. The MP-CPC group included 17 eyes, in patients aged 67.8±48 months, and the CW-CPC group included 28 eyes, in patients aged 61.3±38.3 months. There was a tendency toward lower IOP in the MP-CPC group at all follow-ups, almost reaching statistical significance at 2 weeks and 3 months (P=0.05). IOP reduction was 63% in the MP-CPC group and 67% in the CW-CPC group (P=0.6). The success rate was higher in the MP-CPC group (71% vs. 46% in the CW-CPC group), but the difference was not significant (P=0.1). No significant complications were noted in the MP-CPC group whereas, in the CW-CPC group, 1 eye developed phthisis bulbi, and 2 eyes had severe pain and uveitis (P=0.3). Both the MP-CPC and CW-CPC are effective in lowering the IOP in children with refractory glaucoma. However, the rate of complications, pain, and inflammation seem to be lower with the micropulse mode, making it a safer alternative for cyclophotocoagulation, especially since retreatments are often needed.

Steroid-induced ocular hypertension in the pediatric age group.

Comparing the effects of topical Rimexolone versus Dexamethasone and Rimexolone versus Fluorometholone on the intraocular pressure in children <13 years. A total of 40 patients (80 eyes) undergoing bilateral recession strabismus surgery were divided into two groups. Group A included 20 children (40 eyes); for each, one eye was randomized to receive 1% Rimexolone and the fellow eye received 0.1% Dexamethasone. Group B included 20 children (40 eyes); for each, one eye was randomized to receive 1% Rimexolone and the fellow eye received 0.1% Fluorometholone. Patients received eye drops for two consecutive weeks. Preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure values for weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 were measured. The ocular-hypertensive response of all patients was categorized as either high, intermediate or low (Armaly-Becker Classification). After a 2-week treatment for both groups, peak and maximal intraocular pressure changes were reached. Changes were significantly higher in the Dexamethasone-treated eyes than in the Rimexolone- and Fluorometholone-treated eyes, which had a comparable change. (Week 2 intraocular pressure Group A: 14.15 ± 3.23 mmHg vs 17.95 ± 4.27 mmHg; Group B: 15.1 ± 2.27 mmHg vs 15.2 ± 2.73 mmHg). In both groups, the increase was statistically significant compared to the baseline intraocular pressure (preoperative intraocular pressure Group A: 13.2 ± 3.53 mmHg vs 13.1 ± 3.43 mmHg; Group B: 12.55 ± 2.98 mmHg vs 12.15 ± 3.31 mmHg). Intraocular pressure returned to near preoperative values over the following four consecutive weeks (Week 6 intraocular pressure Group A: 12.25 ± 2.67 mmHg vs 12.55 ± 2.95 mmHg; Group B: 12.15 ± 2.8 mmHg vs 12.00 ± 2.75 mmHg). None of the patients were high responders. Dexamethasone caused a higher elevation in intraocular pressure than Rimexolone and Fluorometholone in children. The ocular-hypertensive response was transient after the 2-week course.

Intraocular pressure in children after congenital heart surgery: A single-center study

Background:The impact of varied cardiac physiologies on intraocular pressure (IOP) among children undergoing heart operations is unknown.Aim:The aim of this study was to determine the IOP among children with varying cardiovascular physiologies and varying hemodynamics after their heart operation.Setting and Design:This was a prospective, observational study.Materials and Methods:Patients ≤18 years undergoing congenital heart surgery were included in this study. IOP measurement was performed by Icare® tonometer between 3 and 14 days after heart operation.Statistical Analysis:Summary statistics were estimated for all demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data.Results:A total of 116 eyes from 58 children were included. The mean and standard deviation age was 28.4 (45.8) months. Single-ventricle anatomy was present in 26 patients (45%). Despite similar heart rate and blood pressure, the mean IOP among the patients with single-ventricle anatomy was significantly elevated as compared to patients with two-ventricle anatomy (18 mm Hg vs. 12 mm Hg, P < 0.001). There was no difference in IOP measurements based on the complexity of operation performed. We noted that patients undergoing surgical palliation with central shunt (21 mm Hg), Fontan operation (19 mm Hg), bidirectional Glenn operation (19 mm Hg), Norwood operation (19 mm Hg), or definitive repairs such as tetralogy of Fallot repair (17 mm Hg), and atrioventricular canal repair (19 mm Hg) were associated with the highest IOPs in the study cohort.Conclusions:This study demonstrates that IOPs vary with varying cardiovascular physiology after pediatric cardiac surgery.

Features of measurement of intraocular pressure in children

This review discusses the results of various studies conducted in recent years on the comparison of modern methods of measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in children: pneumotonometry, Maklakov applanation tonometry, and tonometry using Perkins tonometer, Goldmann tonometer, Icare tonometer, Ocular Response Analyzer, TonoPen handheld tonometer, transpalpebral tonometer TIOP01, or a dynamic contour Pascal tonometer. This study discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different methods of measurement of IOP in children, including the evaluation of patients with fibrous lens capsules that might affect the measurement of IOP and an analysis of the characteristics of evaluation of IOP in children with congenital glaucoma.

Does general anesthesia have a clinical impact on intraocular pressure in children?

Reliable measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) is crucial in pediatric patients with suspected glaucoma. General anesthesia (GA) is usually needed in infants to allow a thorough examination. However, anesthesia itself may influence IOP, depending on the type used and the depth of sedation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the normal distribution of IOP during GA in healthy children and to analyze differences in IOP relative to the anesthetics used and the measurement time point. Approval for this observational study was received from the local institutional review boards and written informed consent was obtained from the children's parents. A total of 100 pediatric patients with no history of glaucoma scheduled for nonintraocular surgery underwent general anesthesia, induced with sevoflurane (s) or propofol (p) and maintained with either sevoflurane with remifentanil (S) or propofol with remifentanil (P). The patients were grouped to one of four subgroups (sS, sP, pP, pS) depending on the anesthetics used during induction and maintenance. Hemodynamic parameters and IOP were measured in both eyes at four defined time points: before anesthesia induction (M1); in apnea immediately after induction and before insertion of a laryngeal mask airway (M2); in deep anesthesia during mechanical ventilation (M3); and after extubation (M4), using a handheld Perkins applanation tonometer. Differences in IOP in both eyes during the measurement periods were analyzed using multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey-HSD as a posthoc test with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to investigate further relationships between heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and IOP. General anesthesia reduced IOP significantly. The mean IOP was normally distributed, with a mean of 7.4 ± 2.89 mmHg at M1. It decreased significantly to a minimum of 5.6 ± 3.04 mmHg (P < 0.01) at M2 and increased significantly to 7.2 ± 2.51 mmHg (P < 0.01) at M3 and again to 8.4 ± 3.72 mmHg (P = 0.03) at M4. All four subgroups (sS, sP, pP, pS) showed comparable decreases in IOP between M1 and M2. During deep anesthesia (M3) and during reversal (M4), the IOP increased again in all groups. During reversal (M4), however, the sS group had a significantly lower IOP than the pP group (P = 0.001) and sP group (P = 0.02). There were no correlations between changes in IOP and gender, age, or type of surgery. Sevoflurane and propofol, both in combination with remifentanil, significantly lower IOP in children. Individual IOP levels rise and fall during anesthesia, depending on the time point of measurement. The lowest IOP can be measured immediately after induction of anesthesia. This needs to be taken into account when measuring IOP in children.

Normal values of intraocular pressure in full-term Nigerian newborns

PurposeTo determine the normative range of intraocular pressure (IOP) in full-term newborns and possible association with birth parameters during the first week of life. MethodsThis was an observational cross sectional study in which IOP was measured in 1000 eyes of 500 normal full-term newborns using the Perkins applanation tonometer under topical anesthesia. An average of three readings was taken as the IOP value. The relationship between IOP and birth parameters was analyzed. ResultsThe male to female ratio was 1:1 with 254 (50.8%) male and 246 (49.2%) female babies. The (mean±SD) value of IOP in the right eyes was 11.93±1.80mmHg, ranging between 9.00 and 16mmHg. In the left eyes, the mean value of IOP was 11.84±1.77mmHg with a range of 8.00–15.00mmHg. IOP in males (12.02±1.84mmHg) was not significantly different from that in females (11.89±1.75mmHg). There was no significant difference between right and left eyes (p=0.42). The 95% range (mean±2 SD) was 15.53mmHg for the right eye and 15.38mmHg for the left. Correlational analysis showed that birth weight and gestational age were positively correlated with IOP. ConclusionThis study provides useful normative data on IOP among Nigerian full-term newborns. Further studies on possible ethnic/geographic variations of IOP in children may be beneficial.

Pediatric Glaucoma: Pharmacotherapeutic Options.

Childhood glaucoma is a major therapeutic challenge for pediatric ophthalmologists and glaucoma specialists worldwide. Management depends on the etiology and age at presentation. A variety of drugs are available for the control of intraocular pressure in children; however, none of these drugs have been licensed by the regulatory agencies for use in children. Furthermore, evidence gained from randomized controlled trials in the pediatric population is sparse, and little is known regarding the use of newer anti-glaucoma preparations. This evidence-based review aims to discuss the available pharmacotherapeutic options for glaucoma in children. Topical adrenoceptor blockers, topical and systemic carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, prostaglandin (PG) analogs, adrenoceptor agonists, parasympathomimetics, and combined preparations are available for use in children, but usually as an off-label indication. Therefore, it is important to recognize that serious side effects have been reported, even with topical drops, and measures to reduce systemic absorption should be taken. Most drugs have been shown to have comparable ocular hypotensive effects, with the lowest occurrence of systemic side effects with PG analogs. Whereas a newly introduced prostaglandin analog, tafluprost, and some other preservative-free preparations have shown promising results in adult glaucoma patients, no pediatric reports are available as yet. Future studies may describe their role in treating pediatric glaucoma. This review also shares some suggested treatment pathways for primary congenital glaucoma (PCG), juvenile open angle glaucoma (JOAG), developmental glaucoma, aphakic/pseudophakic glaucoma, and uveitic glaucoma.