Assessment of home tonometry in glaucoma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment of home tonometry in glaucoma
IRAS ID
202429
Contact name
Andrew Tatham
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Lothian Research and Development
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Worldwide, glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness. The major risk factor is raised pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure, IOP). IOP is typically measured using Goldman applanation tonometry (GAT). This involves instilling anaesthetic eye drops and using a probe to contact the cornea and obtain a pressure measurement. A major disadvantage of GAT is that only limited numbers of pressure measurements can be obtained, whereas IOP is known to vary throughout the day and in ¾ of people is highest during the night. The result is that clinicians have poor understanding of patient’s 24 hour IOPs and the effect that this might have on their glaucoma. This is a serious limitation as the treatment of glaucoma depends on lowering IOP.
Recently a new device has become available, designed specifically for home IOP monitoring. The iCare HOME tonometer is a CE marked commercial device (http://www.icaretonometer.com/products/icare-home-tonometer/) that can be used to gain insight into 24-hour IOP fluctuations. The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion has recently purchased 2 iCare tonometers for patients with glaucoma to use at home for 48-hour periods. We wish to determine the feasibility of home IOP monitoring using this device. The iCare HOME tonometer depends on the patient performing self-tonometry. Testing one’s own IOP may be technically difficult and it is likely that large numbers of patients will struggle with this.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
16/WS/0088
Date of REC Opinion
13 May 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion