Intraocular Pressure, Cardiovascular Risk Variables, and Visual Field Defects

This study evaluates the associations of intraocular pressure with cardiovascular risk factors among 2433 participants in the Framingham Eye Study and the Framingham Heart Study. Persons with intraocular pressure greater than 21 mmHg in at least one eye had an increased prevalence of hypertension and diabetes; no association was found with cardiovascular disease. In multiple regression analysis, systolic blood pressure was the variable most related to intraocular pressure; vertical cup/disc ratio, diabetes, and ventricular rate were also independently related to intraocular pressure. About 6% of the variation in intraocular pressure was explained by these variables. Although blood pressure was associated with intraocular pressure in eyes without visual field defects, this association could not be detected in eyes with field defects; interaction tests found significant differences in the blood pressure-intraocular pressure relationships between visual field groups. Ratios of blood pressure to intraocular pressure were lower in eyes with visual field defects than in eyes without field defects.