Clinical comparison of ocular blood flow tonometer, Tonopen, and Goldmann applanation tonometer for measuring intraocular pressure in postkeratoplasty eyes

Cornea. 2001 Nov;20(8):834-8. doi: 10.1097/00003226-200111000-00011.

Abstract

Purpose: Intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements vary with different tonometers in irregular corneas. The purpose of our study was to determine the comparability of the ocular blood flow tonometer (OBF) and Tonopen with the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) in measuring IOP in post-keratoplasty eyes.

Methods: The IOP was measured using the OBF tonometer, GAT, and Tonopen in 69 post-keratoplasty eyes by two observers. The same instruments were used, and the sequence of measurements was randomized. Pachymetry to measure corneal thickness was done in all patients.

Results: Interobserver variation for IOP measured with GAT was statistically significant ( p = 0.039). Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), however, did not demonstrate any statistical difference between measurements with the three tonometers and two observers. Corneal thickness did not appear to have an effect on measurements with any of the tonometers.

Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the overall accuracy of the OBF tonometer over the Tonopen versus the GAT. The OBF tonometer can be a useful alternative in measuring IOP in post-keratoplasty eyes.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Child
  • Cornea / anatomy & histology
  • Corneal Diseases / surgery
  • Eye / blood supply*
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure*
  • Keratoplasty, Penetrating*
  • Middle Aged
  • Observer Variation
  • Regional Blood Flow
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Tonometry, Ocular / instrumentation
  • Tonometry, Ocular / methods*