Total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein levels as risk factors for increased intraocular pressure

PURPOSE: To determine whether high-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels were risk factors for increased intraocular pressure in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. METHODS: We measured total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio in 25 patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who had taken no glaucoma medications for four weeks. We individually matched these patients to 25 control subjects who had no history of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, on the basis of age, race, gender, and history of vascular disease or diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: We found no statistical difference in the high-density lipoprotein (P = .702) or total cholesterol (P = .117) levels or total cholesterol/ high density lipoprotein ratio between groups (P = .178, paired t test). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that increased high-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels are not risk factors for increased intraocular pressure.