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BACKGROUND: Diurnal profiles of intraocular pressure at opening times in the doctor's office do not deliver enough information, especially nightly and early morning measurements are lacking. Self-tonometry using the automatic self-tonometer 'Ocuton S' might be suitable to achieve valid 24-hour IOP profiles without the need to stay in a hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 96 people were taught to use the automatic self-tonometer once. Those who had learnt self-tonometry after this training underwent a diurnal IOP profile for 24 hours in the hospital using Goldmann tonometry and self-tonometry every 4 hours at the same times of day. One to three days later, they created a third IOP profile at home using self-tonometry at the same intervals as at the hospital. The IOP profiles were then tested for equality. RESULTS: 50 people out of 96 were able to perform self-tonometry after one training session. The IOP measurements of all three IOP profiles did not differ by more than 2 mmHg and thus may be considered comparable. There was no significant difference between daily curves, either. CONCLUSIONS: Self-tonometry using the automatic self-tonometer 'Ocuton S' appears to be suitable to record diurnal profiles of intraocular pressure at home. LA: German
Dr. R. Vogt, Augenarztliche Gemeinschaftspraxis Heider u. Vogt, Sangerhausen, mit Belegabteilung am Krankenhaus Am Rosarium Sangerhausen, Germany
6.1 Intraocular pressure measurement; factors affecting IOP (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods)