The Effect of Wearing N95 Respirator Masks on Intraocular Pressure of Health Care Workers

Abstract

Objective: We determined if there was a significant change in the intraocular pressure (IOP) of healthcare workers with extended use of N95 masks.

Methods: This was a prospective time-series study involving 58 eyes of 29 healthcare workers who were assigned to 3 groups: surgical mask (control) and 2 intervention arms consisting of valved N95 (8511, 3M, USA) and non-valved N95 (8210, 3M, USA) masks. Each participant underwent IOP measurements of both eyes by Goldmann applanation tonometry at baseline, 5 minutes, 1 and 4 hours of mask use on three separate days. The primary outcome was the difference in IOP between the N95 and surgical mask groups.

Results: Mean baseline IOP of the cohort was 13.85 ± 1.11 mmHg with no significant difference among the groups. Compared to surgical mask use, mean IOP was increased at the 1 hour and 4 hour time points with valved N95 use (+0.88, p<0.001; +1.48, p<0.001 respectively) and increased at the 5 minute, 1 hour and 4 hour time points with nonvalved N95 use (+0.52, p=0.01; +1.07 p<0.001; +1.62, p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusion: There was a statistically significant increase in IOPs with prolonged N95 mask use. However, the levels of IOP increase were less than 2 mmHg and may be not clinically significant.