In this study, we evaluated the associations between intraocular pressure (IOP) and systemic and socioeconomic factors.

A population-based cross-sectional study using a nation-wide, stratified, multistage, clustered sampling method included 15,421 subjects aged ≥20 years with no history of ocular surgery or glaucoma who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2008-2011.

Univariate regression analyses showed statistically significant linear relationships between IOP and body mass index (BMI), smoking status, heavy drinking, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), metabolic syndrome ( p < 0.001, respectively), low density lipoprotein cholesterol ( p = 0.003), refractive error ( p < 0.001), and office work ( p = 0.029). In addition, analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed statistically significant differences in IOP and refraction according to occupation ( p < 0.001, all).

We concluded that increased IOP was associated with age, BMI, heavy drinking, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and refraction. There were statistically significant differences in IOP and refraction according to occupation.