Intraocular Pressure and Its Association with Ocular Biometrics in Children and Adolescents — 10 PLADs, China, 2020–2024

What is already known about this topic? Intraocular pressure (IOP) is essential for ocular homeostasis and glaucoma prevention. However, its developmental patterns and associations with refractive errors in children remain incompletely understood. What is added by this report? This study identifies a biphasic IOP trajectory peaking in grade 6 (approximately age 12 years) (18.2±2.9 mmHg) and a pubertal reversal in sexual dimorphism, with higher IOP in prepubertal girls vs. in boys from grade 10 onward, significant by grade 12 mean difference –0.5 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI): –0.9, –0.1, while challenging uniform IOP–myopia causality through grade-stratified analyses. What are the implications for public health practice? Findings support the implementation of grade- and sex-specific pediatric IOP monitoring to improve targeted prevention of pediatric glaucoma and promote overall ocular health. They also underscore the need for further research on IOP dynamics to better inform myopia management strategies.