Corneal arcus associated with higher IOP

Corneal arcus has been associated with higher intraocular pressure (IOP) and lower central corneal thickness (CCT), according to a recent study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology.

The research led by Dr Renyi Wu, of the Singapore Eye Research Institute, examined the association of corneal arcus with CCT and IOP as well as the prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma across a group of Malay patients aged between 40 and 80 years old. The participants underwent a standardized interview and systemic and ocular examinations, including CCT, IOP and corneal curvature radius measurement.

It was found that corneal arcus occurred in right eyes among 1747 of the 3015 patients. After the researchers adjusted for sex, age and systemic factors, it was shown that IOP was higher in eyes with corneal arcus than those without. Additionally, in the eyes with corneal arcus the occurrence of ocular hypertension, but not open-angle glaucoma, was much higher than in eyes without corneal arcus.

The results demonstrated that corneal arcus is associated with higher IOP and lower CCT no matter what the age or sex of the patient and irrespective of systemic and ocular factors.