Intraocular Pressure

Intraocular pressure (IOP) is one of the main risk factors for the development of glaucoma- a degenerative condition of the optic nerve. IOP is measured during a routine eye examination by opticians. Current guidance from NICE indicates that anyone with eye pressure over 21mmHg should be referred to the hospital eye service for a full eye examination to determine if treatment or monitoring for glaucoma should be carried out.

As hundreds of thousands of people go to hospitals in the UK each year for assessment of suspected glaucoma, and the workload amounts to over a million clinic visits per year, understanding the distribution of IOP in the UK is of great importance for eye care policy. Additionally, all proven treatments for established glaucoma (the commonest cause of irreversible blindness world wide, and the second commonest cause of blindness in the UK) involve altering eye pressure. Currently, the only recognised methods of effectively reducing or halting the progression of glaucoma involve the use of medication (eye drops), laser treatments or surgery.

Using the unparalleled detail in UK Biobank data to explore the factors that determine eye pressure, and to identify new interventions the can be used to control glaucoma in the UK and around the world.