Noninvasive Visualization of the Tear Film Microaerosol During Noncontact Tonometry Measurements.
Am J Ophthalmol
; 241: 28-39, 2022 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1926159
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
To investigate the aerosol generation by a noninvasive real-time observation device and assess the conditions relating to aerosolization during intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using a commercial noncontact tonometer (NCT). STUDYDESIGN:
Prospective experimental and healthy eye studies.METHODS:
In an initial experimental study, we devised a model mannequin eye to investigate how air puff pressure and IOP of the eye affected aerosol generation. In the human study including 20 healthy volunteer control subjects, the number of tear aerosol particles generated at 20 and 40 mm Hg air puff pressures with and without eye drop was investigated. The recorded aerosol visualization video was analyzed and the number of aerosol particles generated in 5 seconds after IOP measurement was measured.RESULTS:
The experimental and human studies confirmed the aerosol generation during NCT measurements. In the experimental study, when the air puff pressures were set at 20 and 40 mm Hg, a lower IOP (5 mm Hg) generated significantly more aerosols than a higher IOP (25 mm Hg) (20 mm Hg, P = .0159; 40 mm Hg, P = .0079). There was also a significant positive correlation between the air puff pressure and the number of aerosol particles in both high- and low-IOP eyes (P < .001). At an air puff pressure of 40 mm Hg, the amount of aerosol generated was significantly higher with eye drop than without eye drop (P = .047).CONCLUSIONS:
NCT generates significant aerosolization from the tear film, the amount of which is determined by the IOP and the air puff pressure and the presence of eye drop use before the measurements.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Lacerations
/
Intraocular Pressure
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Ophthalmol
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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