Intraocular pressure and its relation to climate parameters – results from the Gutenberg Health Study

Abstract

Purpose : To investigate the association between intraocular pressure (IOP) and climate parameters.

Methods : The Gutenberg Health Study is a population-based cohort study in Mainz, Germany. Participants underwent two comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations (baseline visit and 5-year follow up) including non-contact tonometry, objective refraction, pachymetry, perimetry and fundus imaging in the time frame of 2007-2017. The respective climate parameters were assessed at the University Mainz including temperature, air humidity, and air pressure. Associations of IOP and climatic parameters were computed using component models and cross-correlation plots. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to adjust for age, sex, BMI, diabetes and systolic blood pressure. To further explore the link between systolic blood pressure, temperature, and IOP an effect mediation analysis was conducted.

Results : 14.632 participants (age 55 ± 11 years at baseline, 49.1% female) were included in this analysis. Mean IOP was 14.24 ±2.8 mmHg at baseline. There was a similar periodic change in IOP and in temperature, as shown in the component models. IOP was not associated with air humidity. In univariable and multivariable regression analyses we found a significant association between lower intraocular pressure during the summer months with higher air temperature (B= -0.011, p<0.001). This could be partially explained in mediation analysis by lower systolic blood pressure at higher air temperature. The univariable positive association of IOP and air pressure did not remain robust in the multivariable model with air temperature.

Conclusions : There is a periodic annual change of IOP with higher values in winter and lower values in summer supporting the hypothesis of an impact of environmental temperature on IOP which is partly mediated by lower systolic blood pressure in summer.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.

 

Seasonal component of average temperature and IOP, data from the Gutenberg Health Study (2007-2017) and Departement of Astrophysics (2007-2017)

 

Correlation plot between IOP and temperature. a) crude analysis, b) after removing of the trend component, c) after removing the seasonal component as well.