Related Experiment Videos
Tonometry in pediatric patients: a comparative study among Tono-pen, Perkins, and Schiötz tonometers
A F Bordon1, O Katsumi, T Hirose
1Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Insights
Accurate intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement in infants is challenging. The Tono-pen tonometer shows reliable IOP readings in pediatric patients, comparable to the Perkins tonometer.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in children presents unique clinical challenges.
- Accurate IOP assessment is crucial for diagnosing and managing pediatric eye conditions, such as retinopathy of prematurity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy and reliability of three tonometers (Perkins, Schiötz, and Tono-pen) for measuring intraocular pressure in pediatric patients.
- To determine the most suitable tonometer for IOP assessment in young children.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 77 children (132 eyes), with a mean age of 1 year and 7 months, was conducted.
- Intraocular pressure was measured using Perkins, Schiötz, and Tono-pen tonometers.
- The majority of participants had retinopathy of prematurity.
Main Results:
- A strong correlation (r = 0.867) was observed between the Tono-pen and Perkins tonometers.
- No statistically significant difference was found in IOP measurements between the Tono-pen and Perkins tonometers.
- Schiötz tonometer measurements were significantly higher compared to both Perkins and Tono-pen.
Conclusions:
- The Tono-pen tonometer demonstrates a high correlation coefficient, similar to the Perkins tonometer.
- The Tono-pen can be reliably utilized for assessing intraocular pressure in pediatric patients.
- This finding supports the use of Tono-pen as a valuable tool in pediatric ophthalmology.
Abstract:
Measuring the intraocular pressure (IOP) in children can be difficult. We compared the accuracy of IOP measurements in pediatric patients using three tonometers: Perkins, Schiötz, and Tono-pen. Seventy-seven children (132 eyes; average age, 1 year, 7 months; range, 1 month to 60 months), mainly afflicted with retinopathy of prematurity (107 eyes), were evaluated. A good correlation (r = 0.867) was found between the Tono-pen and the Perkins tonometers. No statistical difference was found between the mean difference of IOP values obtained with the Tono-pen and the Perkins (P > .05). The Schiötz measurements were significantly higher than those obtained with the Perkins and the Tono-pen tonometers (P < .05). We concluded that the Tono-pen tonometer has a higher correlation coefficient, comparable to the Perkins tonometer, and can be used reliably to assess IOP in pediatric patients.