title: Computerized invasive measurement of time-dependent intraocular pressure.
abstract: Several methods have been described to measure intraocular pressure (IOP) in clinical and research situations. However, the measurement of time varying IOP with high accuracy, mainly in situations that alter corneal properties, has not been reported until now. The present report describes a computerized system capable of recording the transitory variability of IOP, which is sufficiently sensitive to reliably measure ocular pulse peak-to-peak values. We also describe its characteristics and discuss its applicability to research and clinical studies. The device consists of a pressure transducer, a signal conditioning unit and an analog-to-digital converter coupled to a video acquisition board. A modified Cairns trabeculectomy was performed in 9 Oryctolagus cuniculus rabbits to obtain changes in IOP decay parameters and to evaluate the utility and sensitivity of the recording system. The device was effective for the study of kinetic parameters of IOP, such as decay pattern and ocular pulse waves due to cardiac and respiratory cycle rhythm. In addition, there was a significant increase of IOP versus time curve derivative when pre- and post-trabeculectomy recordings were compared. The present procedure excludes corneal thickness and error related to individual operator ability. Clinical complications due to saline infusion and pressure overload were not observed during biomicroscopic evaluation. Among the disadvantages of the procedure are the requirement of anesthesia and the use in acute recordings rather than chronic protocols. Finally, the method described may provide a reliable alternative for the study of ocular pressure dynamic alterations in man and may facilitate the investigation of the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: T V O
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobovitz
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Massensini
authors.forename: M F D
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Moraes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D011817:Rabbits; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000379:methods; D014160:Transducers, Pressure; D014743:Videotape Recording