Abstract

Background: Several risk factors such as systemic hypertension, obesity, and body mass index (BMI) have been associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). This raised IOP can lead to irreversible optic nerve damage, causing blindness. Aims &
Objective: To evaluate the effects of blood pressure (BP) and BMI on IOP and thereby analyze the predisposition to glaucoma in children of patients with hypertension.
Materials and Methods: This observational study was conducted on medical undergraduates. Students with family history of hypertension were taken as cases, and equal number of students with no family history of hypertension were taken as controls. Weight, height, BP, and IOP were recorded and compared in both the groups. Statistical analysis was done by Student t-test and Pearson correlation.
Results: Cases exhibited lower values for IOP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and diastolic blood pressure. In cases, a positive correlation was found between both IOP and MAP and IOP and BMI, whereas in controls it was found only between IOP and BMI. Conclusion: The results indicate that BP is an important determinant factor in regulation of IOP in children of patients with hypertension rather than those of individuals with normotension. Hence, children of patients with hypertension have to keep a check on their BPs as well as IOP to prevent the complications of early-onset ocular hypertension and thereby, glaucoma