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. 2025 Jan 21:19:199-207.
doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S501234. eCollection 2025.

Patient Perspectives on Home Tonometer Usage for Glaucoma

Pariyamon Thaprawat  1 , Sarah P Dugan  1   2 , Amy D Zhang  1
Affiliations

Patient Perspectives on Home Tonometer Usage for Glaucoma

Pariyamon Thaprawat et al. Clin Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Purpose: To understand patient experiences using the iCare HOME tonometer through assessing ease of use, device usage patterns, proficiency, and patient comments.

Methods: We conducted a prospective survey-based cohort study of 19 patients (35 eyes) with glaucoma or glaucoma suspect diagnoses. Patients received training on home tonometer usage and were loaned the device for one week to measure intraocular pressure at home multiple times daily. Participants completed a journal and survey at the end of the study period.

Results: On average, participants measured intraocular pressure ≥4 times per eye each day (4.19±1.54 OD and 4.06±1.41 OS). Most found the home tonometer moderately or very easy to use (75% total, 31% and 44% respectively) and would be happy to use the device in the future (94%). The home tonometer was deemed comfortable to use (94%). Most participants were able to use the device without assistance from another person (88%). Many felt that they became proficient at using the home tonometer (94%) and proficiency was achieved typically by day 3 of usage. Patient comments provided insight into sources of difficulty in usage and motivations for home tonometry.

Conclusion: Home tonometry was easy to use and comfortable for most patients with proficiency in usage quickly achieved by day 3. Surveying patient perspectives revealed sources of difficulties in home tonometer usage. Patients were eager to obtain home intraocular pressure measurements that could help with disease management.

Keywords: ease of use; glaucoma; home tonometry; proficiency; rebound tonometry.

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Conflict of interest statement

Sarah P Dugan was affiliated with University of Michigan Medical School at the time the study was conducted. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Characteristics of patient usage of home tonometer (HT) device. (A) Descriptions of handedness when using device and eyes in which measurements were obtained. Inset values represent percentages (%). (B) Pie chart visual representation of when measurements were obtained in relation to medications or eyedrops. (C) Average number of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements taken per day, per eye ± standard deviation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patient perspectives on ease-of-use of home tonometer (HT) device. Pie chart visual representations of participants’ survey answers to ease-of-use related survey questions. (A) Responses regarding ease of use of HT based on a 5-point Likert scale. (B) Responses regarding comfort of HT based on a 5-point Likert scale. (C) Responses regarding use of HT in the future based on a 5-point Likert-scale. (D). Responses regarding requirement of assistance to use HT.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Training and proficiency of home tonometer (HT) device. Visualization of participant responses to survey questions related to training on device usage, proficiency, and experiences using other home medical equipment. (A) Responses regarding training helpfulness. (B) Responses regarding perceived proficiency after usage of HT over time. (C) Depiction of time to self-reported proficiency after receiving HT device. (D) Responses regarding prior experience with home medical devices.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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