“Game Changing” Icare HOME to be Demonstrated at WGC

Described as “a game changer in the way we manage glaucoma,” by Professor Jamie Craig, (Flinders University, Adelaide), the device enables patients to measure their intraocular pressure (IOP) at different times of the day, and during every day routines, providing a comprehensive picture of diurnal fluctuations in IOP. Both the eye care provider and the patient can follow the effectiveness of glaucoma treatment, or changes in treatment, without the patient having to visit the clinic for eye pressure measurement alone. Response to medication can be clearly seen and the need for surgery better assessed.

Professor Barbara Zangerl from Centre for Eye Health in Sydney said, “IOP profiles obtained with the Icare HOME instrument have provided invaluable insights to guide glaucoma management at the Centre for Eye Health.”

This has been confirmed by a number of studies, which indicate that having 24 hour IOP data available may often lead to a change in glaucoma management.^1,2,3

EMBRACED BY PATIENTS

Icare tonometers are based on the widely patented rebound principle – a tiny disposable probe is gently bounced off the surface of the eye six times. The rebound measurement is barely noticeable by the patient and no anaesthetic drops are required.

According to Ike Ahmed, Assistant Professor and Director of the Glaucoma and Advanced Anterior Surgical Fellowship at University of Toronto in Canada, patients embrace the opportunity to measure their IOP at home.

“We explain that similar to blood pressure, IOP can fluctuate throughout the day and can have a bearing on their disease… We have developed a nice training program, delivered by staff, that includes videos and handouts to help patients adopt the technology. This training typically takes less than 15 minutes per patient,” he said.

Clinical studies have demonstrated the Icare HOME’s ease of use, accuracy and reliability with IOP measurements well correlated to the Goldmann tonometer.^4,5,6,7

Dr Ahmed, who has been using the Icare HOME in his clinic for three years has experienced similar results. “Our acceptance rate and ability to obtain good data is well over 95 per cent. Studies have shown that rebound tonometry correlates well with Goldmann applanation tonometry.⁶ Therefore, I feel confident that we are getting reasonably close measurements. Importantly, we are not looking at the output measurement as much as the fluctuation measurement, the maximum and minimum IOPs, with the Icare HOME. I do believe the raw values are reasonably correlated to Goldmann for average pressures,” he said.

Authors of an Australian study, wrote “the Icare HOME tonometer appears to have a role in following up the effect of selective laser trabeculectomy on lowering IOP without the need for clinic attendance. This methodology could be highly useful for facilitating safe follow up of patients residing in remote and rural Australia.”⁸

The iCare HOME will be demonstrated at the trade show during the World Glaucoma Congress and patients will be screened using the Icare ic100 at the WGC patient symposium on Friday, 27 March.

References 

1. Chen E, Quérat L, Åkerstedt C, Self-tonometry as a complement in the investigation of glaucoma patients, Acta Ophthalmol. 2016 Dec;94(8):788-792 
2. Sood V, Ramanathan US, Self-monitoring of intraocular pressure outside of normal office hours using rebound tonometry: initial clinical experience in patients with normal tension glaucoma, J Glaucoma 2016 Oct;25(10):807-811. 
3. Hughes E., Spry P., Diamond J.: 24-hour monitoring of intraocular pressure in glaucoma management: A retrospective review. J. Glaucoma 2003;12(3):232-236 
4. Takagi D., Sawada A., Yamamoto T., Evaluation of a New Rebound Self-tonometer, Icare HOME: Comparison with Goldmann Applanation Tonometer, J Glaucoma 2017; Mar 31; 26(7):613-618. 
5. Mudie LI., LaBarre S., Varadaraj V., et al., Icare HOME (TA022) Study: Performance of an Intraocular Pressure Measuring Device for Self-Tonometry by Glaucoma Patients, Ophthalmology 2016; 123(8): 1675-84. 
6. Termühlen J., Mihailovic N., Alnawaiseh M., Dietlein T.S., Rosentreter A., Accuracy of Measurements With the iCare HOME Rebound Tonometer, J Glaucoma 2016, Jun;25(6):533-8. 
7. Dabasia P.L., Lawrenson J.G., Murdoch I.E., Evaluation of a new rebound tonometer for selfmeasurement of intraocular pressure, Br J Ophthalmol 2015, 100(8):1139-43. 
8. Mona S Awadalla, Thi Thi Nguyen, John Landers, Jamie Craig. Monitoring the intraocular pressure response to selective laser trabeculoplasty using Icare Home tonometer. Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia.)