A theoretical study of the e–h ground transition in self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots under hydrostatic pressure P is performed. The quantum dots have lens shape geometry of maximum height b and circular cross section or radius a with b < a. In the framework of the envelope-function approximation the electronic states are evaluated as a function of the finite wall potentials, hydrostatic pressure and different lens geometry b /a. It is assumed that the increase of P keep constant the geometrical lens ratio b /a. The pressure dependence of all parameters entering into the description of the e–h transition have been taken into account. The results obtained taking the finite barrier are compared with the infinite model. It is shown that the variation of the e–h ground transition can be modelled using the simple infinite hard wall model with an effective dot radius as a fitting parameter. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)