Metabolic Syndrome as a Risk Factor for Elevated Intraocular Pressure

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between intraocular pressure and metabolic syndrome by comparing central corneal thicknesses.

Methods: One hundred sixty-two subjects were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, with 89 subjects in a metabolic syndrome group and 73 subjects in a control group. Ophthalmological examinations, including intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness measurements, were performed on each subject. Serum fasting glucose, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels were measured, and waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure of all patients were recorded.

Results: Participants with metabolic syndrome had a significantly higher intraocular pressure than those without metabolic syndrome (p = 0.008), and there was no statistically significant difference between the central corneal thickness of the two groups (p = 0.553). Most of the metabolic syndrome components were associated with higher intraocular pressure (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: There is a relationship between metabolic syndrome and intraocular pressure, but no association between metabolic syndrome and central corneal thickness. Intraocular pressure is affected by central corneal thickness, and intraocular pressure is used to correct according to the central corneal thickness measurement. To our knowledge, this is the first study that determines the positive relationship between metabolic syndrome and intraocular pressure by comparing the central corneal thicknesses of the groups.