New findings support the potential of home tonometry for continual intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, according to researchers. Optometrists in Australia trained 40 patients to use the iCare Home tonometer and asked them to measure their IOP while seated, four times a day, over four to six weeks.

Of the 27 patients who completed the trial, nine were newly diagnosed and 18 were glaucoma suspects. While the patients rated the instrument as easy to use, many expressed difficulties with correct alignment, possibly contributing to the participant dropout rate.

The home-based readings revealed two peak IOPs: one upon wakening and one around midday. The researchers also noted the measurements of the first seven days correlated strongly with the measurements taken throughout the four to six week trial.

“Examining intraocular pressure over several weeks allowed us to observe individual intraocular pressure diurnal patterns and more importantly establish that four measurements per day over seven days can provide a robust estimation of these intraocular pressure patterns that would otherwise require several weeks of monitoring,” researchers noted in the study.