A New Method for Accurate Intraocular Pressure Measurement in Soft Corneas
Authors: Chen, K.J., Eliasy, A., Vinciguerra, R., Abass, A., Lopes, B.T., Vinciguerra, P., Ambrósio Jr, R., Roberts, C.J., and Elsheikh, A.
Journal: Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery
Publication Date: Sep 2019
Analysis of the degree of dependency of biomechanically corrected IOP for soft corneas (bIOPs) and dynamic Scheimpflug analyzer IOP (Scheimp) on CCT and age in the Milan Dataset and Rio Dataset (CCT = central corneal thickness; IOP = intraocular pressure)
Summary:
Intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement is a vital part of eye examination and essential for detecting and treating eye conditions like glaucoma. For patients with soft corneas, such as those with keratoconus, accurately measuring IOP has been a challenge, as conventional techniques like Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) may not provide accurate results.
In our research, we developed and validated a new algorithm called biomechanically corrected IOP (bIOPs) specifically for patients with soft corneas. Our study used data from patients at two hospitals on two continents to ensure the reliability of the bIOPs algorithm in diverse populations.
The results showed that the bIOPs algorithm provided more accurate IOP measurements for patients with soft corneas, like those with keratoconus, compared to the uncorrected Scheimpflug analyzer IOP. Furthermore, the bIOPs predictions were less affected by corneal thickness and patient age.
In conclusion, we recommend using the bIOPs algorithm for more accurate IOP estimates in patients with soft corneas, including those with keratoconus. This new method could help overcome the limitations of other tonometers and improve the diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions.