Comparison of intraocular pressure measured by Pascal dynamic contour tonometry and Goldmann applanation tonometry.

AIMS: To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements obtained using the Pascal dynamic contour tonometer (PDCT) with the standard Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and to correlate these with central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with normal corneas.

METHODS: A prospective, masked, comparative case series of 116 eyes from patients attending a glaucoma clinic. IOP was measured with PDCT by one examiner and with GAT by a masked, independent examiner. A mean of six CCT readings was used for analysis.

RESULTS: IOP measured by the two instruments correlated significantly (r=0.77; P<0.0001). IOP measured by GAT correlated strongly with CCT (r=0.37, P=0.0001) whereas the relationship between IOP measured by PDCT and CCT approached significance (r=0.17, P=0.073). The differences between GAT and PDCT measured IOP also correlated strongly with CCT (r=0.37, P<0.0001). The 95% limits of agreement between GAT and PDCT were +/-4.2 mmHg. Dividing the eyes into three groups on the basis of CCT, demonstrated those in the thickest tertile showed a poorer agreement between instruments and the GAT measured significantly higher IOP in this group (P=0.003) while the PDCT showed no significant differences with different CCTs (P=0.37).

CONCLUSION: Demonstration of the relative independence of PDCT IOP measurements from CCT supports a potential clinical role for this instrument, particularly for subjects with CCT outside the normal range.