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Editors Selection IGR 20-3
Ocular Blood Flow: Effects of caffein on IOP and blood pressure
Comment by Leopold Schmetterer on:
50505 Effects of caffeinated coffee consumption on intraocular pressure, ocular perfusion pressure, and ocular pulse amplitude: a randomized controlled trial, Jiwani AZ; Rhee DJ; Brauner SC et al., Eye, 2012; 26: 1122-1130
Several small-scale studies have indicated that intake of caffeine is associated with an increase in intraocular pressure. Jiwani and co-workers performed a randomized controlled cross-over trial investigating the effects of caffeine intake on intraocular pressure, ocular perfusion pressure, and ocular pulse amplitude. This was done by comparing the effects of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee intake on two different study days. A total of 106 subjects were included in this study. The study population consisted of 22 subjects with high tension primary open-angle glaucoma, 18 subjects with normal-tension primary open-angle glaucoma, 20 subjects with ocular hypertension, 21 primary open-angle glaucoma suspects, and 25 healthy participants. Drinking caffeinated coffee increased intraocular pressure, ocular pulse amplitude, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and ocular perfusion pressure as compared to decaffeinated coffee. The changes were, however, small with an average increase in intraocular pressure of 1.51 ± 1.54 mmHg 60 minutes after ingestion.
Intraocular pressure increase after acute intake of caffeinated coffee is likely too small to be clinically relevant
The authors conclude that the effects are probably too small to have clinical impact. Strengths of the study include the relatively large sample size, the cross-over design and the controlled conditions. The study population was, however, not homogenous and consisted of five subgroups. In each of these subgroups the number of participants was likely too small to draw any conclusion on subgroup differences. The results are important as they show that the intraocular pressure increase after acute intake of caffeinated coffee is likely too small to be clinically relevant. Whether chronic coffee intake is associated with increased intraocular pressure and an increased risk of primary open angle glaucoma requires further investigation.
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