J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1979 Mar;20(1):57-61.

Clinical Evaluation of A Noncontact Applanation Tonometer

• Hong C

Abstract

A new applanation tonometer(American Optical Corp.) measuring intraocular pressure without contact between the instrument and the eye was developed recently. Applanation is produced by a controlled air-pulse of linearly increasing force impinging on the cornea. To observe clinical evaluation of this noncontact tonometer, the intraocular pressures of 199 eyes of one hundred and one men and women at the age of 14 to 60 year without corneal opacity and corneal edema were measured with the Goldmann applanation tonometer(control group), the noncontact tonometer and the Schitotz tonometer and the correlations between the different instruments were investigated with comparison of the measured values. The results were as follows: 1. Comparing the mean values, the noncontact tonometer was more similar to the Goldmann 'applanation tonometer than the Schitotz tonometer. 2. Comparing the correlation coefficients and the differences between pairs of measuring instruments, the noncontact tonometer was more highly correlated to the Goldmann applanation tonometer than the Schitotz tonometer. Therefore, the noncontact tonometer can be highly evaluated for clinical applications-especially frequent measurements at short intervals and glaucoma screening programs-due to its accuracy, simplicity, painlessness and repeatability.

MeSH Terms

Cornea
Corneal Edema
Corneal Opacity
Female
Glaucoma
Humans
Intraocular Pressure
Male
Mass Screening