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1From the Department of Ophthalmology and the 2Horten Center for Patient-Oriented Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| Abstract |
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METHODS. In a prospective, single-center study, central corneal thickness (CCT) and IOP were measured in patients undergoing first-time LASIK for myopia. IOP was measured before and after surgery using GAT and DCT. The untreated contralateral eyes served as paired controls.
RESULTS. There was good concordance between the two tonometers in 62 normal eyes before LASIK. Corneal ablation of 90.0 ± 49.18 µm (median ± SD) reduced IOP readings as measured by GAT by 3.0 ± 1.9 mm Hg (P < 0.001). In contrast, no significant change in IOP readings was recorded by DCT (-0.2 mm Hg ± 1.5 mm Hg, P = 0.30). There was no change in IOP in the untreated control eyes as measured by GAT and DCT.
CONCLUSIONS. Significant decreases in IOP were recorded by GAT after LASIK for myopia. Measurements by DCT, however, did not reveal any significant changes in IOP.
A possible solution to the problem of inaccurate IOP measurements after corneal refractive surgery is the dynamic contour tonometer, a novel, nonapplanation contact tonometer designed to be largely independent of structural properties of the cornea. Its tip reflects the surface contour of a resting human cornea when intraocular and extraocular pressures are equal (e.g., as if the eye were submerged in a pressurized water bath). When in contact with the cornea, the tonometer tip creates a tight-fitting shell on the corneal surface without applanation of the tissue, thereby compensating for all forces exerted on the cornea. This allows an integrated pressure sensor inside the contacting surface to measure IOP, largely independent of corneal properties.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate dynamic contour tonometry (DCT) for IOP measurement in eyes undergoing LASIK for correction of myopia and to compare these IOP measurements with readings obtained by a Goldmann applanation tonometer.
| Methods |
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Central corneal thickness (CCT) was measured with an ultrasonic pachymeter (SP-2000, Tomey Corp., Cambridge, MA). A drop of oxybuprocaine anesthetic 0.4% (Ciba Vision, Buelach, Switzerland) was placed on each eye. The patient was asked to blink before measurement to avoid any bias due to corneal drying. The pachymeter probe was smoothly placed on the center of the cornea over an undilated pupil, according to the discretion of the investigator. The mean of three readings within a range of ±5 µm was used for each eye.
Particular attention was paid to standardizing the technique of IOP measurement. The patient was asked to keep both eyes open, breathe quietly, and fixate into the distance behind the examiner. GAT was performed on a slit lamp (Haag-Streit, Koeniz, Switzerland), with a tonometer calibrated according to the manufacturers guidelines. Paper strips impregnated with fluorescein were used to stain the precorneal tear film. When eyelid support was necessary, compression of the globe was avoided. The mean of three consecutive readings was recorded. Before each reading, the measuring drum was reset to approximately 2 mm Hg. The reading was not masked to the investigator. If IOP fluctuated during the cardiac pulse cycle, the measurement was taken in the middle of the pulsation amplitude.
The dynamic contour tonometer (ODC; Ophthalmic Development Company AG, Zurich, Switzerland) is a further development of the contact lens tonometer18 19 and is described in detail elsewhere (Kanngiesser H, et al. IOVS 2002;43:ARVO E-Abstract 301; Kanngiesser H, Robert YCA. manuscript in preparation). Briefly, it is a contact tonometer with a tip that fits into a standard GAT stand (Fig. 1) . The surface of the tip is concave, with a radius of 10.5 mm. An electronic pressure sensor is integrated into the center of the contacting tip surface. The tonometer tip contacts the corneal surface in a manner similar to that of the GAT, except that correct positioning on the cornea is indicated by an audible signal that changes in pitch with changes in the pressure detected. When the tonometer tip contacts the cornea the tissue takes the contour as if the pressure on both sides of the cornea were the same, allowing the pressure sensor to measure IOP independent of corneal properties. IOP is calculated and displayed by the instrument without the examiner being able to change the result, thereby reducing possible observer bias.
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The differences between the pressure measurements before and after treatment were calculated for both GAT and DCT (
pressure = pressureposttreatment - pressurepretreatment). To compensate for diurnal IOP fluctuations, an absolute pressure change was calculated by deducting the pressure change found in the contralateral control eye from the change found in the treatment eye after LASIK surgery (
pressureabsolute =
pressuretreatment eye -
pressurecontrol eye).3 Data are presented as the median ± SD and analyzed using the nonparametric Wilcoxon signed-ranks test to account for the skewed and nonsymmetrical distribution of data points. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Statistical analysis was performed on computer (SPSS statistical software, ver. 10; SPSS Science, Inc., Chicago, IL).
| Results |
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The concordance between the two different tonometers was evaluated by comparing IOP readings obtained by DCT and GAT in the 62 untreated eyes before surgery. The results are displayed in Figure 2 demonstrating a high concordance between the two techniques. IOP readings obtained by DCT were consistently higher (median difference: +1.6 mm Hg, interquartile range [IQR] = 0.82.3 mm Hg, P < 0.001) than readings obtained by GAT. This phenomenon may be explained by the fact that the dynamic contour tonometer was calibrated against a manometrically controlled pressure standard rather than a GAT pressure reading.
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To visualize the effect of corneal thinning by LASIK surgery on IOP readings by the two different tonometers, we plotted the changes in IOP readings against the reduction in corneal thickness after LASIK (Fig. 4) . Univariate linear regression using the absolute
GAT measure as the dependent variable and
CCT as the independent variable indicates a decrease of 0.02 mm Hg/µm reduction in CCT (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.0050.034; P = 0.01). We found no significant correlation between the absolute
DCT and the decrease in CCT (P = 0.10).
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| Discussion |
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In an analogous way, the general tendency toward reduction the IOP measured by GAT after LASIK has been attributed to the iatrogenic thinning of the central cornea.8 15 16 27 28 Still, the relationship between reduction in CCT and IOP after LASIK is controversial. Together with other reports,15 16 the present findings are opposed to those in articles reporting no such association7 11 29 or describing nonsignificant tendencies only.13 Moreover, the correlation between the absolute
GAT and the decrease in CCT in our study does not automatically imply a causal relationship. Even if indicative of a cause, stromal thinning after refractive surgery may represent one possible factor among others. The peripheral cut in Bowmans layer may leave the residual cornea with different applanation properties compared with a cornea that is congenitally of the same thickness8 30 and the size of the ablation zone may influence the change in IOP measurements by GAT even further.13 Clinically undetectable fluid accumulations within the lamellar interface31 and softening of the tissue due to epithelial and stromal edematization11 13 or to topical steroids14 have been proposed to account for the reduction of applanation IOP readings.
The present study demonstrates a mean decrease in IOP reading by GAT of 3.0 mm Hg after LASIK surgery. Based on a linear regression model, this decrease would equal approximately 0.2 mm Hg/10 µm of stromal ablation. How can the clinician be advised to account for this error? Nomograms have been published for adjusting GAT readings both in normal eyes with varying CCT20 21 32 and in eyes after refractive surgery.3 33 34
If the nomogram found in the present study (true IOP = GAT +0.02 mm Hg/µm of stromal ablation) with its minimal slope was used to correct the GAT readings, 12 of the 25 study patients would still have had a potentially hazardous underestimation of IOP of 2 mm Hg or more. Only 6 of 25 patients would have had a calculated IOP within ±1 mm Hg of the IOP individually compensated for by the corresponding values. Possible reasons for the inaccuracy of such nomograms may be due to the exclusion of other factors possibly influencing corneal rigidity, nonlinearity of the correlation between the variables,35 or the magnitude of individual variation with regard to the effect of CCT on IOP.36
Constant correction factors are an alternative to nomograms.15 The present data suggest assessing IOP after LASIK by adding 3 mm Hg to the GAT reading (Fig. 4) . This rule of thumb harbors less potential for clinical misjudgment, because it would have reduced the number of false low-pressure estimations to 7 in 25 patients. However, the pressure in eyes of four patients would have been overestimated by 2 mm Hg or more.
These examples show that the use of nomograms as well as the use of constant correction factors to calculate true IOP after refractive corneal surgery is problematic. With the rapidly gaining popularity of corneal refractive surgery the need for a tonometer that allows for accurate routine IOP measurements independently of corneal properties becomes obvious.15 37
In contrast to GAT, IOP measurements performed by DCT seem not to be associated with a decrease in IOP after LASIK. The variations in IOP readings found before and after LASIK were minimal, and similar changes in IOP readings were observed in the paired nontreated fellow eye, findings that suggest that these minor changes reflect individual IOP fluctuations.
In normal eyes before surgery the novel dynamic contour tonometer showed a high concordance with the IOP readings obtained by GAT. The individual DCT readings tended to be 1.6 mm Hg higher than GAT readings. This is in good agreement with a recently published study that states that IOP readings made by applanation tonometry were 1.2 mm Hg lower than true IOP measured manometrically in human eyes in vivo.38 We acknowledge that GAT was not performed in a masked manner. However, performing the more objective DCT last in the measurement sequence prevented any investigator bias, because the investigator was not influenced by the DCT reading when aligning and interpreting the semicircular images of GAT.
The DCT tip has the same dimensions as a GAT tip and fits into any Goldmann type applanation tonometer stand without the need to modify existing slit lamp rigs. In this study, DCT was found to be a suitable method for routine clinical use in normal and treated eyes.
In summary, this study shows that applanation tonometry falsifies IOP after LASIK in a manner that may interfere with the detection and management of glaucoma in a rapidly growing population of patients who undergo refractive surgery. The dynamic contour tonometer may be a valuable alternative to GAT, because its pressure reading does not seem to be affected by LASIK surgery for myopia.
| Footnotes |
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Submitted for publication September 14, 2002; revised January 6 and March 5, 2003; accepted March 11, 2003.
Disclosure: C. Kaufmann, None; L.M. Bachmann, None; M.A. Thiel, None
The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. This article must therefore be marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C.
1734 solely to indicate this fact.
Corresponding author: Claude Kaufmann, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Freilerstrasse 41, CH-8157 Dielsdorf, Switzerland; claude.kaufmann{at}freesurf.ch.
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