Application of a self-tonometer to home tonometry
R. C. Zeimer, J. T. Wilensky, D. K. Gieser, D. B. Welch, M. T. Mori and D. Kahanic
Although home tonometry has been advocated in the management and diagnosis
of glaucoma, the lack of proper instrumentation has precluded its routine
performance. We have developed a self-tonometer that can be used by the
patient at home and at work and have evaluated the performance of the
instrument under these conditions. The results show that reproducibility of
self-tonometer measurements is +/- 1.4 mm Hg and is independent of the
user. When the readings of the self-tonometer in a given individual were
compared with those of the Goldmann tonometer, they varied by +/- 2.4 mm
Hg. Patients who could be trained in the clinic performed well and safely
on their own. An average of fewer than five attempts was necessary to
obtain four readings at each time of day. Our preliminary findings obtained
during home tonometry demonstrated some of the benefits of repeated diurnal
curves.
