Abstract
Purpose :
Pregnancy is a special physiological condition in which multiple body variables are modified. There is scarce scientific evidence on how IOP is involved in this situation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate IOP modifications throughout pregnancy in healthy Mexican women attending a public hospital setting.
Methods :
During this prospective and longitudinal study, IOP was evaluated, among other clinical parameters in 40 non-consecutive patients, during the three trimesters of pregnancy to the postpartum (four measurements per patient). Participants meeting the selection criteria underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological examination (including best-corrected visual acuity, biomicroscopy, Goldmann’s applanation tonometry or GAT, central ultrasound pachymetry, break up time (BUT) of tear film, type 2 Schirmer’s test, and non-mydriatic fundus examination in the first visit. For the follow up visits only the GAT was performed (with exception of cases in which due to relevant ocular symptoms a complete examination was mandatory). At the last visit, a complete ophthalmological assessment was performed. The study conduction adhered to local and international regulations (as the Helsinki Declaration). All participante were asked to sign the written consent form. Once variables were collected, an statistical processing was carried out (Chi-square test and/or Fishers exact test; un-paired t test; P < 0.05).
Results :
Forty women were included in the study, with a mean age of 26.3 ± 5.1 years, a median best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 in both eyes, mean central corneal thickness of 542.5 ± 11.4 microns (RE) and 537.6 ± 7.2 microns (LE), and no statistically significant difference betwen the eyes. Mean IOP in the three trimesters of pregnancy and the first post-partum month was 10.1 ± 1.6 mm Hg, 9.7 ± 1.8 mm Hg, 9.3 ± 1.7 mm Hg and 10.4 ± 1.8 mm Hg, respectively (ANOVA; P = 0.036 for the value of the third trimester compared to the first trimester and post partum). There were no relevant changes in the BUT tear film test and type 2 Schirmet test.
Conclusions :
This study demonstrates that in Mexican women, IOP progressively and significantly reduces in relationship to advancing pregnancy, returning to a baseline level in a few weeks.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.