Oral Contraceptive Use and Intraocular Pressure: Findings from a Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose Oral contraceptive pills (OCP) contain hormones that may affect various physiological parameters, including intraocular pressure (IOP). The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between OCP use and IOP in women in southwestern Iran. Additionally, we sought to explore associations between IOP, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, and cigarette smoking within this population. Methods This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the baseline of the Adult and Eye Hoveyzeh cohort study in women aged 35–50 in southwest Iran between 2016 and 2021. Information on socioeconomic factors, demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and family history of glaucoma was collected. Analysis of Covariance was used to compare means between groups while controlling for the effects of covariates. Results Of the 746 participants, 656 (87.9%) were oral contraceptive pill users. An independent t -test found no significant difference in IOP between OCP users ( M  = 12.45, SD  = 2.13) and non-users ( M  = 12.38, SD  = 2.11), t (723) = 0.289, p  = .773. Additionally, no significant correlation was found between the duration of OCP use and IOP ( r = -0.04, p  = .348). An ANCOVA adjusting for age, hypertension, family history of glaucoma, and BMI confirmed that OCP use had no significant effect on IOP ( F (1, 721) = 0.060, p  = .806, partial η² < 0.001). These findings suggest that OCP use does not influence IOP. Conclusion This study found no significant association between OCP and IOP, but highlights the importance of healthcare providers and patients being aware of potential glaucoma risks and monitoring any changes in IOP.