Abstract
Aims
To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements obtained using the Pascal dynamic contour tonometer (PDCT) with the standard Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and to correlate these with central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with normal corneas.
Methods
A prospective, masked, comparative case series of 116 eyes from patients attending a glaucoma clinic. IOP was measured with PDCT by one examiner and with GAT by a masked, independent examiner. A mean of six CCT readings was used for analysis.
Results
IOP measured by the two instruments correlated significantly (r=0.77; P<0.0001). IOP measured by GAT correlated strongly with CCT (r=0.37, P=0.0001) whereas the relationship between IOP measured by PDCT and CCT approached significance (r=0.17, P=0.073). The differences between GAT and PDCT measured IOP also correlated strongly with CCT (r=0.37, P<0.0001). The 95% limits of agreement between GAT and PDCT were ±4.2 mmHg. Dividing the eyes into three groups on the basis of CCT, demonstrated those in the thickest tertile showed a poorer agreement between instruments and the GAT measured significantly higher IOP in this group (P=0.003) while the PDCT showed no significant differences with different CCTs (P=0.37).
Conclusion
Demonstration of the relative independence of PDCT IOP measurements from CCT supports a potential clinical role for this instrument, particularly for subjects with CCT outside the normal range.
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Acknowledgements
The study was partially supported by unrestricted research funding from: the Alcon glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology fellowship fund, and the Sir William and Lady Stevenson Trust. We thank Designs for Vision for the unrestricted loan of the Pascal dynamic contour tonometer used in this study.
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The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in the equipment or studies presented in this paper.
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This study was approved by the Auckland Ethics Committee, Auckland, New Zealand.
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Ku, J., Danesh-Meyer, H., Craig, J. et al. Comparison of intraocular pressure measured by Pascal dynamic contour tonometry and Goldmann applanation tonometry. Eye 20, 191–198 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.eye.6701849
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.eye.6701849
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