Comparison of Ocular Pulse Amplitude Measured Using Dynamic Contour Tonometry and Ocular Blood Flow Analyzer

Abstract

Purpose: To compare ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) measured using dynamic contour tonometry (DCT) and ocular blood flow analyzer (BFA).

Methods: Thirty-five eyes of 35 patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional and retrospective study. OPA was measured using DCT. Pulse amplitude (PA) and pulsatile ocular blood flow were measured using BFA.

Results: OPA measured using DCT (2.79 ± 0.89 mm Hg) was not significantly different from PA measured with BFA (3.02 ± 0.90 mm Hg; p = 0.082) and both were significantly correlated (r = 0.663, p < 0.001). Mean difference ± limit of agreement was -0.22 ± 1.44 mm Hg between OPA and PA. OPA correlated significantly with intraocular pressure (IOP) measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry (r = 0.330, p = 0.047) but not PA (r = 0.057, p = 0.745). Both PA and OPA did not show significant correlation with the spherical equivalent of refractive error and central corneal thickness.

Conclusions: Although both OPA and PA measure IOP fluctuation and are not significantly different, they showed different relationships with IOP.