Effect of central corneal thickness on dynamic contour tonometry and Goldmann applanation tonometry in primary...

To compare the dependence of dynamic contour tonometry (DCT) and Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) on central corneal thickness (CCT) in primary open-angle glaucoma.

In a prospective study, the interocular (right vs left eye) difference in intraocular pressure measured by DCT and GAT was compared with the interocular CCT difference in 125 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Dynamic contour tonometry measurements (mean +/- SD, 19.4 +/- 4.1 mm Hg) were significantly (P=.004) higher than GAT measurements (mean +/- SD, 15.5 +/- 3.4 mm Hg), correlating significantly with each other (r(2)=0.82, P<.001). The interocular difference in intraocular pressure correlated significantly with the interocular CCT difference for GAT (r=0.30, P=.001) and DCT (r=0.23, P=.02) readings. Dynamic contour tonometry and GAT intraocular pressure differences significantly increased with older age (slope, 0.033 [95% confidence interval, 0.002-0.064] mm Hg/y; P=.03) but not with thicker CCT (slope, 0.006 [95% confidence interval, -0.003 to 0.017] mm Hg/mum; P=.22).

In this series, GAT and DCT measurements were dependent on CCT in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Because intraocular pressure differences between DCT and GAT were independent of CCT, DCT and GAT are susceptible to similar measurement biases depending on CCT.