Association Between the Use of Systemic Steroids and Ocular Hypertension as a Side Effect in Pediatric Population: A Systematic Review

Steroids are commonly used in children for the treatment of various medical conditions. However, systemic steroids can lead to the development of ocular hypertension (OHT), an increase in intraocular pressure. Limited literature is available on the systemic route of steroid administration in children and the development of this side effect. For literature writing and review, a thorough research was conducted across various platforms, such as PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Medline, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR). After all the screening processes and quality checks, 12 articles were finalized for review writing. The aim was to explore if OHT development is a common side effect developed in children on systemic steroid use for various medical conditions and if any particular risk factors were present among children that lead to its development. The results indicate that OHT is a common side effect of systemic steroid use in children. Children may or may not present with the symptoms of raised intraocular pressure. The development of OHT occurs within one month of the beginning of the steroid treatment in most of the reviewed studies. Several risk factors associated with developing this side effect were also found. In conclusion, systemic steroid use in children leads to the development of OHT. Awareness among healthcare professionals regarding this potential association is necessary. This information can be used to develop guidelines for serial ocular examinations in children on prolonged systemic steroid use.