Ocular Pressure in Steroid-treated Dermatology Patients

Ocular hypertension and glaucoma are eye conditions associated with abnormally high fluid pressure in the eye (called intraocular pressure or IOP). If left untreated, the elevated IOP may eventually cause damage to the nerve of the eye and potential impairment of vision. The use of certain drugs has been identified as a risk factor for raised IOP, including various forms of administration of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids can also lead to cataract, which is clouding of the lens in the eye that can affect vision. In this research study, we would like to find out whether the use of corticosteroids in our dermatology clinic leads to raised IOP, in order to identify patients at risk and to allow them to be more closely monitored than others. It is important to identify those patients who have a corticosteroid-induced pressure rise early enough to prevent them from permanent glaucomatous visual loss.