Opinions on hand held tonometers...

[yeuxsains]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a portable tonometer.

The two on my shortlist are:

-Perkins Hand Held Applanation Tonometer
-Kowa HA-II Hand Held Applanation Tonometer

What are the main differences between the two?
Which one is better?

Thanks!

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[Tippytoe]

Tonopen has worked for me for the past 12 years. Techs use it.

 

[Visionary]

Tonopen has worked for me for the past 12 years. Techs use it.

This. The two mentioned above are attempts at reproducing Goldmann applanation with a portable device. Not really all that. Tonopen is smaller and easier, if you're looking for a portable device. If you want applanation, use the Goldmann.

 

[optsuker]

We've used Perkins in our office for years and are happy with them.
Still do Goldmann on all POAG pts and questionable IOT's, but always within 1-2 mmHg of the Perkins.

We had a tonopen, but it could be all over the map & had a lot more variation depending on the operator.

Have you checked out the new Diaton/I-Care tonometers?

 

[rodomon]

Best one I've used was Icare. Don't need anesthetic and patients aren't nearly as bothered by it.

 

[yeuxsains]

the icare seems great!

do any of you icare owners reuse the probes?

the official website tells us not to, but some seasoned ophthalmologists reuse it...

also, according to this study, it does seem feasible:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19960037

 

[Optometry233]

My Colleagues
What's your opinion about Diaton tonometer? The agent wants to consider a good discount for me, but I don't confident about its accuracy In comparison with tonopen.

 

[Commando303]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a portable tonometer.

The two on my shortlist are:

-Perkins Hand Held Applanation Tonometer
-Kowa HA-II Hand Held Applanation Tonometer

What are the main differences between the two?
Which one is better?

Thanks!

I'd recommend Reichert's AVIA Tono-Pen (not the older "XL" model, which is much more a nuisance): http://www.reichert.com/product_details.cfm?pcId=474&skuId=2980&skuTk=1037022486#.VJjDel4B_w. At I.O.P.s above the mid-20s, it seems to under-read, but, to that point, it correlates quite well with Goldmann applanation.

The Perkins is fine in some instances, but, one, it's a little more cumbersome to use than the Tono-Pen, and, two, it's nice to have more than one way of measuring I.O.P., and the Perkins uses the same principle as the Goldmann.

I've used the iCare rebound tonometer, as well, and have found it to be O.K. I'm not sure how accurate or consistent it is (I don't have enough experience with it). As a screening tool, it may be fine, and unlike most methods, it requires no topical anaesthetic.