Intraocular Pressure (IOP) Monitoring
Can You Monitor Your IOP At Home?
It’s clear that accurately knowing your intraocular pressure (IOP) is critical in both the monitoring and treatment of glaucoma. How senseless, then, that we are currently only able to obtain this important measurement in the doctor’s office. Practically, this means that most people with glaucoma obtain an IOP measurement at most four times a year. Knowing how the IOP can fluctuate from day to day (and even during a given day) this really is far from an ideal sampling.
Other chronic conditions such as diabetes and systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) both have methods of home monitoring. Why not glaucoma? Well, for one, all current accurate methods of obtaining IOP involve touching something to the surface of the eye. It’s hard enough to get an accurate IOP reading in the office by trained staff and professionals – just imagine trying to touch an instrument to your own cornea. Even if you weren’t squeamish about touching your eye with a device, currently available portable measuring devices cost thousands of dollars each and are very delicate – even a single drop onto the floor could break them beyond repair. And, if you could afford one of these devices, they simply are not as accurate as the measurements that can be obtained by trained staff or your doctor in the exam room.
What we need are wearable or implantable accurate methods of continuous IOP monitoring. Fortunately, these are already available or in the works…
Don’t delay getting checked for glaucoma.
Make an appointment with an eye doctor in your area now. If you live in the greater Los Angeles area and would like Dr. Richardson to evaluate your eyes for glaucoma call 626-289-7856 now. No referral required. Appointments are available, Tuesday through Saturday.