Intraocular pressure, systemic blood pressure, and age: a correlational study.

An attempt was made to study the associations between age, intraocular pressure, and systolic blood pressure. The eyes of 90 non-glaucomatous, ocular normotensive patients and of 142 ocular hypertensive patients were examined. A third group was formed from these two by stratification, to mirror the intraocular pressure distribution in the general population. In all three groups systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with age. In the stratified group a 'chain' model was consistent with the data. Intraocular pressure was significantly negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure; any apparent association between intraocular pressure and age was fully accounted for through the correlation between systolic blood pressure and age.