Twenty years after the first rebound tonometer was imagined, iCare’s handheld tonometer has become one of the essential diagnostic tools in ophthalmic workspace.
An integral part of iCare’s strategy is to position itself as a key player in clinical diagnostics solutions. To do this, the company continues to grow, expanding its portfolio with unique retinal imaging and perimetry devices, and more recently, artificial intelligence.
The tonometer is just part of iCare’s suite of ophthalmic products, which has been expanded via strategic acquisition, research, and product development
The iCare story began in the 1990s when the need for an alternate to the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) was identified. This was due to perceived variance from user-to-user and the inconvenience of fluorescein and anaesthetic, especially in children. With changes in technology, Finnish MD, Dr Antti Kontiola designed a compact device using rebound technology that was subsequently clinically tested in cooperation with Helsinki University Eye Clinic.
Dr Kontiola’s work led, in 2003, to the introduction of the iCare tonometer, an innovative, patient-friendly, and portable device incorporating unique rebound technology. Fast and reliable, taking multiple readings and averaging without the need for anaesthetic or fluorescein, Dr Kontiola believed this new device would resolve the clinicians’ issues.1
Since that first prototype, there have been several iterations of the iCare tonometer, ranging from a versatile clinical tonometer with positional freedom to the first tonometer for diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring by patients themselves.
Efficient and Accurate
The accuracy and reliability of iCare tonometers has been tested and proven in more than 200 clinical studies.
Dr Goktug Demirci undertook a comparison study on IOP measurements obtained from healthy subjects with the rebound tonometry, non-contact air-puff tonometry, and Goldmann applanation tonometry in different age groups.
His study concluded, “without need for topical anaesthesia, fast measurement and ease-of-use rebound tonometry is a reliable alternative to Goldmann applanation tonometry in different age groups.”2
With direct reference to paediatric care Dr Jose Maria Martínez de la Casa’s commented in The Ophthalmologist, “Over the years, I have found iCare tonometers to be reliable, very fast, and especially useful for some patients, such as postoperative cases where contaminated fluorescein drops can cause infections. They have also changed our management of paediatric patients, with or without glaucoma, as it is much easier to obtain a measurement than with applanation tonometry. We can now measure IOP in children as young as a few months, without the need for examination under anaesthesia”.3
Corporate Expansion
The tonometer is just part of iCare’s suite of ophthalmic products, which has been expanded via strategic acquisition, research, and product development.
One major acquisition was that of CenterVue, which was completed in April 2019. This strengthened iCare’s market potential by adding perimetry devices for the diagnosis and management of glaucoma, and ultrawide field retinal imaging for diabetic retinopathy, and other retinal diseases.
Two years later, in 2021, iCare added artificial intelligence to its portfolio with the strategic acquisition of Oculo, a company specialising in in the rapidly growing areas of eye related telehealth and technology-enhanced eye care models.
Jouni Toijala, CEO, commented that “over the past two years, we have gone through a significant evolution from an equipment supplier to a global leader of comprehensive ophthalmic diagnostics solutions.”4
Tomi Karvo, Vice President, Products, Brand and Marketing stated, “Our purpose (mission) is to keep the wonderful world visible for all. This we do by providing healthcare professionals and patients with best quality solutions for eye care”.
To find out more about iCare, visit: icare-world.com
References
1. About us – iCare (icare-world.com)
2. Goktug D., Sevil K.E., Cafer T., et al., Comparison of rebound tonometry and non-contact airpuff tonometry to Goldmann applanation tonometry -, 2019 (sagepub.com).
3. Dr Martínez-de-la-Casa on his use of iCare Rebound tonometers (theophthalmologist.com).
4. Revenio Group Oyj.
