The effects of therapeutic contact lenses on intraocular pressure measurement.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements taken through three commonly used therapeutic contact lenses, using both the Tono-Pen and pneumatonometer.


METHODS
We measured the IOP of ten normal eyes and ten eyes with abnormal anterior segments using Tono-Pen, pneumatonometry, and Goldman application tonometry. Three different soft contact lenses (Acuvue, 04, and Permalens) were sequentially placed on the eyes and repeat measurements were taken. The readings obtained for each contact lens were compared to the baseline readings taken without a lens in place in order to assess the effect that each contact lens had on the accuracy of IOP measurements.


RESULTS
All three contact lenses permitted accurate IOP measurements in eyes with both normal and abnormal anterior segments. Variations in water content and central thickness did not affect the accuracy of IOP measurements.


CONCLUSIONS
Both Tono-Pen and pneumatonometry proved to be equally reliable in recording accurate IOP measurements through therapeutic contact lenses.
Department of Opthalmology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA.
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Scibilia
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Ehlers
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Donshik
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D007646:Keratotomy, Radial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular