Age-related changes in biomechanical parameters of the cornea and intraocular pressure in a healthy Turkish population.

BACKGROUND/AIM To investigate age-related changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) and biomechanical parameters of the cornea in healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS There were 404 healthy subjects included prospectively in this study. The subjects were divided into 3 groups (Group 1:93 subjects aged < 18, Group 2:189 subjects aged between 18 and 59, and Group 3:122 subjects aged ≥ 60). Corneal compensated IOP (IOPCC), Goldmann correlated IOP (IOPg), corneal hysteresis (CH), and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were measured by the Ocular Response Analyzer. RESULTS When all the study groups were evaluated, a moderately significant negative correlation was found between age and CH and between age and CRF (Spearman's rho = -0.372 and -0.353, respectively; P < 0.0001 for both correlations). There were significant age-related differences among the 3 groups in terms of IOPg, CH, CRF, and central corneal thickness (P = 0.002, P = 0.000, P = 0.000, P = 0.006). There was no confirmation of any difference of IOPcc among the groups (P = 0.427). CONCLUSION The mean values of IOPg, CH, and CRF were lower than the other parameters in Group 3 but no significant differences were determined in IOPcc values in the age groups.