• Yaping Yang, Jun Ye, NgTsz KinTKJoint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China.Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong., Na Wu, Xinghuai Sun, Yaping Chen, and Yuhong Chen.
• Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
• Eur J Ophthalmol. 2021 Mar 1; 31 (2): 361-366.

PurposeTo evaluate the changes of corneal biomechanics and the intraocular pressure during pregnancy in a Chinese healthy female population.MethodsA total of 222 unrelated Chinese females were recruited: 52 non-pregnant, 15 pregnant in the first trimester, 68 pregnant in the second trimester, and 87 pregnant in the third trimester. The intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical parameters, including corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure, corneal hysteresis, and corneal resistance factor, were measured by an Ocular Response Analyzer G3. Central corneal thickness was measured by Lenstar (LS900).ResultsCorneal hysteresis and corneal resistance factor were significantly higher in pregnant women at the second and third trimesters. Corneal-compensated intraocular pressure was lower in women at the third trimester of pregnancy (p = 0.023), but the difference became insignificant after adjustment for corneal hysteresis. Central corneal thickness was marginally higher in pregnant women than non-pregnant women (p = 0.032). There was a negative correlation between corneal-compensated intraocular pressure and corneal hysteresis (r = -0.337, p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between central corneal thickness and corneal hysteresis (r = 0.711, p < 0.0001). After adjustment for corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, corneal hysteresis remained significantly higher in the second and third trimesters of pregnant women than non-pregnant women (p = 0.031, p = 0.005).ConclusionThis study revealed a significant increase in corneal hysteresis and corneal resistance factor in the second and third trimesters. The increase of corneal hysteresis was independent of corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, indicating pregnant females have unique characteristics in corneal-compensated intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical properties that may be related to glaucoma and corneal ectatic diseases in pregnancy.

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