On the short-term variability of measurements of intraocular pressure

Measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) (tonometry) is conducted routinely in the eye clinic for the diagnosis and management of primary open-angle glaucoma. Mean IOP may be influenced by a number of factors including ocular accommodation, spontaneous pulsations of IOP, and the effect of repeated applanation. A review of some of the factors that influence IOP should help us gain a perspective on the reliability of diurnal tonometry in the diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma.