20 Years of iCare Rebound Tonometers

The company’s first patented rebound tonometer revolutionised the world of tonometry in 2003. Since then, iCare has launched an assortment of rebound tonometers for different uses, from the most versatile clinical tonometer with positional freedom to the world’s first self-tonometer for 24-hour intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring by patients themselves.

According to iCare, the reliability and reproducibility of measurements have been proven in over 200 clinical studies, establishing iCare’s position as the market leader in handheld tonometry. iCare tonometer is now one of the most popular choices among eye care professionals and patients worldwide. Indeed, today, iCare tonometers are available in over 100 countries and more than 100,000 devices have been sold globally.

PROVEN RELIABILITY IN IOP MEASUREMENT

iCare’s handheld rebound tonometers have been heavily researched by the scientific community. Several recent studies,^1-4 have found that iCare’s rebound tonometry offers excellent reliability and demonstrates the capability to portray changes in IOP more robustly than Goldmann applanation tonometry.

Combined with an enhanced user experience for eye care professionals and patients alike, this presents a noteworthy challenge to the gold standard of IOP measurement.

United States ophthalmologist and researcher Dr Ike Ahmed noted the benefits of being able to measure IOP outside the clinic. “The difference between readings we obtain in the office and the data from the iCare HOME is like the difference between a single snapshot and a continuous movie of a patient’s daily life,” he said.⁵ 

SAFE, HYGIENIC, PATIENT-FRIENDLY

iCare’s rebound technology is based on a simple, effective principle: the lightweight, single-use probe makes quick contact with the cornea and rebounds back. This applanationfree method allows painless and hygienic IOP measurement without the need for topical anaesthetic or calibration. This safe and gentle measurement technique also enables measuring during and immediately after surgery.

200 DEGREES OF POSITIONAL FREEDOM

While iCare says usability and performance have always been at the heart of its tonometers, recent developments have taken these aspects even further. The iCare IC200 tonometer offers a full 200 degrees of positional freedom, making it possible to measure IOP accurately in supine, reclined, and sitting positions. This is especially useful in clinical, surgical, or emergency settings.

Automated position alignment makes it quick and easy to achieve accurate results. A high-visibility indicator confirms the correct position for reliable measurement with a green light.

References

1. Realini T., McMillan B., Gross R. L., Devience E., Balasubramani G.K. Assessing the Reliability of Intraocular Pressure Measurements Using Rebound Tonometry. Journal of Glaucoma. May 27, 2021 – Volume Online First – Issue – doi: 10.1097/IJG.0000000000001892.
2. Gómez-Gómez A., Talens-Estarelles C., Alcocer-Yuste P., Nieto J.C. Reliability of iCare ic100 Rebound Tonometry and agreement with Goldmann Applanation Tonometry in Healthy and Post-myopic LASIK Patients. Journal of Glaucoma. May 12, 2021 – Volume Online First – Issue -doi: 10.1097/IJG.0000000000001878.
3. Nakakura S., Asaoka R., Terao E., Nagata Y., Fukuma Y., Oogi S., Shiraishi M., Kiuchi Y. Evaluation of rebound tonometer iCare IC200 as compared with IcarePRO and Goldmann applanation tonometer in patients with glaucoma. Eye and Vis 8, 25 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s40662-021-00249-z.
4. Badakere S.V., Chary R., Choudhari N.S., Rao H.L., Garudadri C., Senthil S. Agreement of Intraocular Pressure Measurement of Icare ic200 with Goldmann Applanation Tonometer in Adult Eyes with Normal Cornea. Ophthalmol Glaucoma. 2021 Jan-Feb;4(1):89-94. Epub 2020 Aug 13. Erratum in: Ophthalmol Glaucoma. 2021 Mar-Apr;4(2):234. PMID: 32801019. doi: 10.1016/j.ogla.2020.08.004.
5. Mapping Diurnal IOP Fluctuations at Home, Insert to Glaucoma Today. September/October 2018.