Doctor and patient using the PROVIEW™ Eye Pressure Monitor provide equal reliability.

1. Doctor and patient using the PROVIEW™ Eye Pressure Monitor provide equal reliability. Jay M. Rumsey, OD, FAAO, Chris Woodruff, OD, Lewis Reich, OD, PhD, FAAO College of Optometry, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Purpose: The PROVIEW™ Eye Pressure Monitor (PEPM) is a non-invasive instrument that indirectly measures intraocular pressure (IOP) using subjective ocular phosphene recognition during scleral indentation of the globe. The PEPM has potential to become widely used in vision screenings. The purpose of this study was to compare IOP measurement between doctors and naive subjects using the PEPM. Results: Figure #1 represents a histogram of the IOP measurements. Figure #2 shows the agreement of the measures using the methods of Bland and Altman (Lancet, 1986). The average of the median values for the doctor were 19.14 3.82 (SD) mmHg and 19.11 4.53 mmHg for the naïve subjects. There was no difference between these measures (paired t-test, t=0.044, p=0.97). Figure #1 Figure #2 Methods: After demonstrating the phosphene phenomena, the investigator collected the median of three IOP measurements using the PEPM on randomly selected eyes of thirty-seven normal subjects (22 male, 15 female), free of ocular disease, whose ages ranged from 22 to 30. The same subjects, all “first-time” inexperienced PEPM users, were then given instructions to perform the three measurements on themselves. The act of acquiring the data could alter the IOP with serial measurements, so the doctor and subjects collected data on opposite eyes. We made the assumption that the IOP is similar for both eyes in a normal population Conclusions: The PEPM provides similar measurements of IOP independent of whether a naive subject or an experienced operator collects the data. The results of this study have clinical applications. For example, during vision screenings the subjects could acquire IOP data that are just as reliable as collected by the experienced operator thus freeing the time for the doctor performance of other procedures and potentially reducing costs. Also, the use of the device to measure IOP at home could provide information just as reliable as frequent office visits.