Innovation Eye Clinic offers home tonometry

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a chronic eye condition where the optic nerve that runs from the back of the eye to the brain is damaged, which can lead to irreversible visual field loss.  Eye pressure (intraocular pressure) is the main risk factor for glaucoma and is currently the only modifiable risk factor.  As a result, all our current treatment options are focused on reducing the intraocular pressure.

Intraocular pressure fluctuations

It is well established that the intraocular pressure varies throughout the day with the highest intraocular pressure being at night and in the early hours of the morning.  It is very difficult to measure the intraocular pressure at these times and therefore for the majority of our patients we are unsure of the potential fluctuations in intraocular pressure over a 24-hour period.

Intraocular pressure fluctuations in glaucoma patients

It is known that the intraocular pressure fluctuations are more pronounced and variable in glaucoma patients compared to those without glaucoma.

How do treatments affect intraocular pressure fluctuations?

Newer treatment options such as selective laser trabeculoplasty or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery are known to not only lower the intraocular pressure but also reduce the variation in intraocular pressure over a 24-hour period compared to eye drops alone.   

Ideally, we would like to know the intraocular pressure fluctuation for our glaucoma patients, however in a real world setting this is just not feasible for the majority of patients.

Innovation Eye Clinic offers home tonometry, where the patient measures their own eye pressure at certain time points over a 24-hour period and this is then available for Mr Ratnarajan to review and assess the potential fluctuations.

If you are interested to see if you are suitable or would benefit from home tonometry, please email info@innovationeyeclinic.co.uk or call 0800 005 3335 for more information.