Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of smoking on intraocular pressure in individual with normal blood pressure and to compare the smoking effects on intraocular pressure in smoker and non-smoker.

Material and Methods: A hospital based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Aziz Fatimah Hospital Faisalabad including 480 patients of age between 20-50 years. The person with normal visual acuity and normal blood pressure were included in the study. After history taking and visual acuity measurement Ophthalmoscopy was performed to evaluate different eye conditions. After that the intraocular pressure of both eyes was measured by using Goldman Applanation tonometer.

Results: There were 192 (40%) patients of age 20-30 years, 160 (33.3%) patients of age 31-40 years of age, and 128 (26.6%) patients of age 41-50 years. The percentage of the subjects who smoke 1-5 cigarettes per day was 12.9% and for those who smoke 6-10 cigarettes per day was 37.08%. The mean IOP of smoker’s right and left eye was 21.50+2.5 mmHg and 22.3+2.9 mmHg respectively. The mean IOP of non-smokers right and left eyes was 15.99+1.8 mmHg and 16.96+2.1 mmHg respectively.

Conclusion: There was a highly significant association of rise in intraocular pressure in smokers as compared to non-smoker. This study also concludes that intraocular pressure increases more in smokers left eye as compared to the left eye.