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Research: Validity of Measurements when Reusing Icare Probes
Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology
|November 22, 2017
Summary
Reusing Icare tonometer probes for glaucoma screenings is safe and does not affect reading validity. This practice supports cost-effective mass screenings in developing countries.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Devices
- Public Health
Background:
- Previous reports suggest reusing Icare tonometer probes poses minimal infection risk.
- This supports probe reuse in specific scenarios like mass glaucoma screenings in resource-limited settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if reusing Icare tonometer probes impacts the accuracy of intraocular pressure readings.
- Assessing the clinical validity of tonometer probe reuse.
Main Methods:
- Numerous measurements were performed using the same Icare tonometer probe on a specialized calibration device.
- A comparative analysis involved measurements with and without wiping the probe head with an alcohol pad between readings.
Main Results:
- Statistically significant differences in readings were found between the wiped and non-wiped groups for most settings.
- While some settings showed statistically significant changes with increased readings, these were not clinically significant.
Conclusions:
- Reusing Icare tonometer probes, even after hundreds of uses, does not compromise the clinical utility of pressure measurements.
- Probe reuse is a reasonable consideration for mass screenings in developing countries due to cost savings.
