Abstract :
Background: Refractive errors, eye pressure (IOP), blood pressure, and body weight (BMI) are all closely connected and can affect both vision and overall health—especially during adolescence, a period of rapid growth. With more screen time and less outdoor activity, myopia is on the rise and often linked to higher IOP and BMI, though research shows mixed results. In places like Odisha, where low BMI is common, undernutrition may impact both eye development and systemic health, highlighting the need for region-specific studies.Aims and Objective: To evaluate the association of refractive errors and intraocular pressure (IOP) with systemic blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents aged 11–20 years, and compare findings with age- and sex-matched emmetropic controls.Materials and Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary eye care center in Odisha. A total of 264 participants (134 cases with refractive errors and 130 controls) aged 11–20 years were enrolled. Visual acuity, refraction, IOP, systemic BP, pulse rate, and anthropometric data were collected. Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, and two-way ANOVA to assess intergroup differences and associations.Results: There was no significant difference in age or height between cases and controls. However, cases had significantly higher BMI (p < 0.001), body weight (p = 0.010), and diastolic BP (p = 0.042). Pulse rate was significantly lower in cases (p = 0.004). The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher among cases, whereas underweight status was more common in controls. IOP was slightly higher in females and positively correlated with BMI and diastolic BP, particularly in myopic individuals. Pulse rate and DBP showed age- and gender-based variations, reinforcing systemic physiological influences on ocular parameters.Conclusion: Adolescents with refractive errors, particularly myopia, demonstrated higher BMI and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) with lower pulse rates, indicating possible autonomic and vascular dysregulation. These systemic associations highlight the need for integrated screening strategies addressing both ocular and systemic health during adolescence, especially in nutritionally vulnerable populations like those in Odisha.
Keyword :
Refractive errors, Myopia, Intraocular pressure, Blood pressure, BMI, Adolescents, Odisha, Systemic association.