Wearing Swimming Goggles Reduces Central Corneal Thickness and Anterior Chamber Angle, and Increases Intraocular Pressure

ABSTRACT

Purpose/Aim: To assess the changes in anterior eye segment biometrics and intraocular pressure during and after wearing swimming goggles.

Materials and methods: Anterior segment biometry and intraocular pressure were assessed in 20 healthy young adults (22.2 ± 4.7 years) during the wearing of a drilled swimming goggle. The central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, and anterior chamber angle, using the Pentacam rotating Scheimpflug camera (Oculus Optikgerate GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany), and intraocular pressure, using a rebound tonometer, were obtained before, at 2, 3.5, and 5 min of wearing swimming goggle, just after removal, as well as after 5 min of recovery.

Results: During swimming goggles wear, there was a significant corneal thinning (54.8 ± 41.1 µm, p < .001, ƞ_p² = 0.532), iridocorneal angle reduction (2.6 ± 2.6 degrees, p < .001, ƞ_p² = 0.241) and intraocular pressure elevation (4.0 ± 1.9 mmHg, p < .001, ƞ_p² = 0.530). These changes returned to baseline values immediately after swimming goggle removal (corrected p-value <0.05 in all cases). No significant effects of swimming goggles use were observed for anterior chamber depth and anterior chamber volume.

Conclusions: Wearing swimming goggles leads to acute corneal thinning, iridocorneal angle reduction, and intraocular pressure elevation. These findings may be of special relevance for individuals with corneal ectasias, as well as for individuals at high risk of glaucoma onset or progression.

KEYWORDS:

• Anterior eye segment
• corneal thickness
• anterior chamber angle Pentacam
• intraocular pressure

Acknowledgments

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors thank all the participants who selflessly collaborated in this research.

Declaration of competing/conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest and have no proprietary interest in any of the materials mentioned in this article.