Intraocular pressure measurement in children using the Keeler Pulsair tonometer

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Optometry
• Ophthalmic Instrumentation

Background:

• Intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement in children often requires general anesthesia, posing risks and logistical challenges.
• Accurate IOP assessment is crucial for diagnosing and managing pediatric glaucoma and other ophthalmic conditions.
• Non-invasive tonometry methods are sought to improve patient compliance and reduce the need for anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of Keeler Pulsair tonometry as an alternative to tonometry performed under general anesthesia in pediatric patients.
• To assess the reliability and agreement of Pulsair tonometry measurements compared to a gold-standard method in children.

Main Methods:

• A study was conducted with 53 children aged 6 months to 9 years.
• Keeler Pulsair non-contact tonometry was used to obtain intraocular pressure readings in an outpatient setting.
• Pulsair measurements were compared with Perkins applanation tonometry values obtained under general anesthesia.

Main Results:

• Ocular pressure readings were successfully obtained in 78% of the pediatric participants.
• A complete set of four readings from each eye was achieved in 45% of the children.
• Averaged Pulsair measurements demonstrated good agreement with Perkins applanation tonometry results.

Conclusions:

• Keeler Pulsair tonometry is a feasible and viable method for estimating intraocular pressure in children within the studied age group.
• The non-invasive nature of Pulsair tonometry may enhance patient compliance and reduce the need for general anesthesia in pediatric IOP assessment.
• Further techniques to improve participant compliance are discussed for optimizing Pulsair tonometry in pediatric settings.