Intraocular pressure evaluation with different tonometers in patients with glaucoma

PURPOSE: A clinical study has been performed to compare different Intraocular pressure measurements by Goldmann applanation tonometer and Schioetz indentation tonometer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty eyes of fourty glaucoma patients treated with beta-blockers were considered. All patients had been undergone a pachimetry on the first day. Goldmann tonometry was carried out after 24 hours using a topical anaesthetic. After a further 24 hours intraocular pressure evaluation with the Schioetz tonometer was performed using topical anaesthetic. Three groups of corneal thickness were considered: high 597 micron, average 535 micron, low 473 micron. RESULTS: The results showed that the indentation method is scarsely conditioned in the intraocular pressure evaluation by the corneal features and therefore it is the most reliable one without correction factors. In conclusion this issue should be considered when performing refractive surgery treatment