Effect of central corneal thickness and radius of the corneal curvature on intraocular pressure measured with the Tono-Pen and noncontact tonometer in healthy schoolchildren.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of central corneal thickness and radius of the corneal curvature on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using the Tono-Pen and a noncontact tonometer in healthy Turkish schoolchildren. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: IOP was measured with the Tono-Pen and a noncontact tonometer in 602 eyes of 602 healthy schoolchildren with a mean age of 10.1 +/- 1.6 years. Central corneal thickness was measured using an ultrasonic pachymeter after all IOP determinations had been made. The effect of central corneal thickness, radius of the corneal curvature, and sex on measured IOP was explored by linear regression analysis.
RESULTS: The mean central corneal thickness was found to be 564.92 +/- 32 microm. The mean IOP readings were 17.9 +/- 2 mm Hg using the Tono-Pen, and 16.7 +/- 2 mm Hg using a noncontact tonometer. The Tono-Pen measured IOP values slightly greater than the noncontact tonometer (P < .0001). A significant association between measured IOP and central corneal thickness was found with each device. The IOP increased 2.1 and 4.2 mm Hg with every 100-microm increase in central corneal thickness for the Tono-Pen and the noncontact tonometer, respectively. The dependence of IOP on central corneal thickness did not differ between boys and girls. There was a significant association between the Tono-Pen and noncontact tonometer differences and central corneal thickness; the noncontact tonometer tended to overestimate IOP in eyes with thicker corneas.
CONCLUSIONS: The Tono-Pen readings appeared to be less affected by corneal thickness than those of the noncontact tonometer. The corneal radius of curvature had no significant effect on measured IOP with each device. Because the Tono-Pen was relatively easy to use and less affected by corneal thickness, it may be an alternative method for measuring IOP in children.