COMPARISON OF NONCONTACT TONOMETRY, GOLDMANN APPLANATION TONOMETRY WITH AND WITHOUT FLUORESCEIN

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to compare the Intraocular Pressure (IOP) measurements with noncontact tonometer and Goldmann Applanation Tonometer with and without uorescein. Settings And Design: This cross-sectional study included 61 eyes attending the Ophthalmology Outpatient Department of a tertiary care hospital in South India. IOP using three techniques i.e. Noncontact Tonometry (NCT), Goldmann Applanation Tonometry (GAT) with and without uorescein were recorded for each patient, at a gap of twenty minutes. The three values for each eye were noted and compared using appropriate statistical methods. Results: The mean IOP values obtained with Noncontact Tonometer (NCT), non-uorescein GAT (nGAT), and uorescein GAT (fGAT) were 12.02 ± 5.56, 9.64 ± 3.7 and 10.3 ± 3.63 mmHg respectively. IOP values measured by NCT were found to be higher than both non-uorescein GAT, and uorescein GAT values; this was statistically signicant (P=0.01). There was no statistical signicant difference between nGAT and fGAT values. Conclusion: Non-uorescein GAT (nGAT) can be a useful substitute to uorescein GAT (fGAT) and thus can prevent the complications associated with uorescein staining while not compromising the standardization of GAT. Non-contact tonometer can be used as a mass screening device.