Comparison of dynamic contour tonometry and goldmann applanation tonometry in glaucoma patients and healthy subjects.

PURPOSE: To investigate the agreement in the measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) obtained by dynamic contour tonometry PASCAL (DCT-PASCAL) and Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) in glaucoma eyes and healthy eyes with different central corneal thickness (CCT).

DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

METHODS

In a randomized order, three consecutive IOP measurements were performed on 197 eyes of 107 subjects by one examiner using both DCT-PASCAL and GAT on all eyes. Furthermore, ultrasonic pachymetry was performed. The Spearman correlation coefficient (r) was determined to compare IOP readings between DCT-PASCAL and GAT. Regression-based Bland and Altman analysis was used to evaluate agreement between the instruments.

RESULTS

Mean IOP values obtained by both instruments were significantly correlated in healthy and glaucoma eyes (all healthy eyes [n = 66]: r = 0.8, P < .001, all glaucoma eyes [n = 131]: r = 0.96, P < .001). Neither GAT nor DCT-PASCAL showed a significant correlation with CCT (GAT: all eyes: r = 0.009, P = .9, DCT-PASCAL: all eyes: r = -0.05, P = .5). Bland and Altman analysis revealed the existence of proportional bias. Thus, 95% limits of agreement between the instruments varied with the actual IOP measurement.

CONCLUSIONS

DCT-PASCAL and GAT revealed a strong correlation in IOP measurements between glaucoma and healthy eyes. However, the analysis of agreement indicated some discrepancies between the instruments. Measurements with both GAT and DCT-PASCAL were not correlated with central corneal thickness.