Intraocular pressure and cataract among obese adults in Benin City

Abstract

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide with increasing prevalence in adult and children. Authorities view it as the number one most serious public health problem of the 21st Century. It has been shown that obesity puts people at increased risk of at least four major blinding diseases. The risk of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma can be increased in individuals either through the presence of obesity related systemic diseases such as diabetes or directly due to a high body mass index (BMI) abnormal circumference or waist hip ratio. This study was a cross sectional study. The sample size consisted of a total of 80 subjects, 40 obese (BMI = 30kg/m2) and 40 lean (BMI < 30kg/m2), between the ages of 65 75 (mean age 64.20±2.25). The subjects were divided into two groups, group 1(the obese) and group 2 (the lean) which acted as control group. This study showed a positive correlation between BMI and IOP p<0.01. There was also a statistically significant correlation between BMI and the cup to disc (C/D) ratio p<0.01. There was no correlation between BMI and cataract among the population studied.

Keywords: Obesity, Intraocular pressure, Cataract, Glaucoma.