Intraocular Pressure and Associations in Children. The Gobi Desert Children Eye Study

Purpose: To assess the intraocular pressure (IOP) and its association in children in a population living in an oasis in the Gobi Desert. Methods: The cross-sectional school-based study included all schools in the Ejina region. The children underwent an ophthalmic examination, non-contact tonometry and measurement of blood pressure and body height and weight. Results: Out of eligible 1911 children, 1565 (81.9%) children with a mean age of 11.963.5 years (range: 6–21 years) participated. Mean spherical refractive error was 21.5862.00 diopters. In multivariate analysis, higher IOP (right eye) was associated with younger age (P,0.001; standardized coefficient beta: 20.13; regression coefficient B: 20.13; 95% Confidence interval (CI):20.18, 20.07), higher diastolic blood pressure (P,0.001;beta:0.13;B:0.05;95%CI:0.03,0.07), higher corneal refractive power (P,0.001;beta:0.11;B:0.23;95%CI:0.12,0.34), more myopic refractive error (P = 0.035;beta: 20.06;B: 20.10;95%CI: 20.19, 20.001), and Han Chinese ethnicity of the father (P = 0.03;beta:0.06;B:0.42;95%CI:0.04,0.89). If age and diastolic blood pressure were dropped, higher IOP was associated with higher estimated cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) (P,0.001;beta:0.09; B:0.13;95%CI:0.06,0.21) after adjusting for higher corneal refractive power (P,0.001) and Han Chinese ethnicity of the father (P = 0.04). Correspondingly, higher IOP of the left eye was associated with younger age (P,0.001;beta: 20.15;B: 20.16;95%CI: 20.21, 20.10), female gender (P,0.001;beta:0.09;B:0.65;95%CI:0.30,1.01), higher corneal refractiv