title: [Significance of the corneal thickness in non-contact tonometry].
abstract: In this study the Reichert non-contact tonometer (NCT II) was compared with the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) in 25 subjects (50 eyes; pressure range 9-17 mmHg). The relationship NCT/GAT fulfilled the conditions required for legal verification. Marked differences between the readings of both instruments can be caused by anomalous central corneal thickness, because non-contact tonometry is influenced more than conventional applanation tonometry by the corneal thickness. Starting from a central thickness of 0.51 mm, the NCT is assumed to underestimate the actual intraocular pressure in eyes with thinner and to overestimate it in eyes with thicker cornea by 1 mmHg per 0.01 mm difference of corneal thickness. This value changes with individual corneal tissue qualities and is not valid especially in presence of corneal edema.
authors.affiliation: Univ.-Augenklinik Giessen.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gräf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular / Q000295:instrumentation*
vernacular_title: Zur Bedeutung der Hornhautdicke bei der Non-Contact-Tonometrie.