Ophthalmic tone of myopic eyes: statistical evaluation and role in formation of acquired myopia

The author summarizes the results of many-year profound statistical analysis of ophthalmic tone in myopic patients. Intraocular pressure (IOP) of myopic eyes in patients aged 10 to 62 years and refraction from 0.5 to -24.0 diopters was measured in 1220 eyes by the same type of Goldman's tonometer. Detailed distribution of IOP for age and refraction factor is presented. IOP has been studied in emmetropia, stable and progressive myopia, and in paired anisometropic eyes. The author emphasizes that myopia progresses at various levels of ophthalmic tone, whose increase is mainly functional and reversible, and is caused by organic changes in the anterior chamber angle in only 7% of cases. The author claims that IOP is an important characteristic of a myopic eye and is to be taken into consideration when prescribing pathogenetic therapy for progressive myopia.