RESUMO
PURPOSE: To describe the relationship between corneal thickness and Intraocular Pressure (IOP) in a predominantly black population. METHODS: BISED II conducted a 9 year follow up of a population based cohort. The protocol involved an interview and comprehensive ophthalmologic examination including Applanation Tonometry and Pachymetry (KMI ultrasound RK500 pachymeter). RESULTS: Among the participants with pachymetry (n = 616; 1223 eyes) mean age was 63.4 years and 60 percent were female. Most individuals were of African descent (n = 582), with smaller subgroups of mixed (African and Caucasian, n=13) and Caucasian/others (n=21). The IOP was highest among those of African descent (mean= SD; 16.7= 3.8 mmHg) followed by those with mixed (15.5= 3.5 mmHg) and Caucasian/other ancestry (14.7= 3.1 mm Hg). However, the participants of African descent tended to have lower values of corneal thickness (mean= SD; 529.7= 37.0 um) than the mixed (533.6+29.8 um) and Caucasian/other participants (542.2= 43.5 um) respectively. Although sample size was small, significant correlations between corneal thickness and IOP were noted among Caucasian participants (r=-0.36,p=0.03), but no correlations were found for participants of African descent or of mixed ancestry. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals of African descent tend to have thinner cornea than Caucasian participants. Corneal thickness and IOP were positively correlated in Caucasians, but not mixed race participants or those of African descent. (AU)
