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Abstract #8163 Published in IGR 4-3
Assessment of intraocular pressure in children by digital tension
Ficarra AP; Sorkin R; Morrison COptometry 2002; 73: 499-506
BACKGROUND: Measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) by digital tension is a procedure that warrants study to determine if it could reliably yield pressure measurements for young children. METHODS: Sixty-two children (mean age, 3.8 years) served as subjects for the study. The examiner determined each child's digital tension in mmHg, classifying the measurement as soft to touch, medium to touch, or hard to touch. A masked examiner measured the IOP with a non-contact tonometer. RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent of the digital tension measurements yielded correct classification of the pressure when compared with non-contact tonometry results. The correlation for the digital tension determination of IOP with non-contact tonometry measurements was significant: 0.38 (p < 0.05) for O.D. and 0.39 (p < 0.05) for O.S. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests use of digital tension as a reliable means of obtaining the IOP of young children. Digital tension tends to under-estimate the IOP when compared to non-contact tonometry readings.
Classification:
6.1 Intraocular pressure measurement; factors affecting IOP (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods)