Glaucoma diagnosis can feel overwhelming, as it silently threatens vision without early symptoms. Taking back control through regular check-ups, treatment, and education turns uncertainty into empowerment. Vigilance is your best defense—with iCare HOME2 self-tonometer, you can monitor intraocular pressure (IOP) anytime and anywhere.
IOP, the most important modifiable risk factor for glaucoma, can fluctuate considerably over short and long periods, with levels often spiking at night or early morning. For example, studies show that up to two-thirds of glaucoma patients have IOP peaks outside of office hours¹⁻². These variations, influenced by factors like body position, stress, and treatment adherence, increase the risk of optic nerve damage, even if average eye pressure seems controlled. Thus, effective management of glaucoma requires consistent monitoring to slow its progression and prevent vision loss.
Measuring IOP at home: Accurate insights for better eye pressure monitoring
With iCare HOME2 self-tonometer, you can easily measure IOP at home and wherever you are. The device allows for early detection of pressure fluctuations, offering an accurate view of daily trends, thus helping assess treatment effectiveness and enabling timely adjusted medical guidance. Furthermore, self-monitoring is convenient, reducing the need for frequent clinic visits and empowering you to take an active role in eye care.
The story of Aino Krohn, a glaucoma patient from Finland, is an encouraging example for all of us:
After her diagnosis, Aino’s life became a series of challenges. A visual field defect had appeared in her left eye despite treatments, leading to the installation of an implant. Aino’s bleeding disorder complicated the surgery, but it was ultimately successful, with the team working calmly to ensure safety.
Her journey continued when a follow-up revealed that the implant had punctured the conjunctiva, requiring urgent repair with a collagen patch. Meanwhile, glaucoma progressed in Aino’s right eye, managed with stinging eye drops, oral medication and weekly pressure checks. Suspected nocturnal spikes were unconfirmed until she discovered iCare HOME2 self-tonometer, allowing Aino to track IOP at home and revealing critical trends that expedited her placement in the surgical queue.
Next, Aino underwent implant surgery on her right eye. Complications due to her bleeding disorder required multiple repairs, including a new shunt and corneal graft. Despite setbacks, the home self-tonometer had become her vital tool, providing accurate data and peace of mind. While her glaucoma remains challenging today, Aino manages it with gratitude for the tools and care supporting the journey.
Embracing personalized and accessible glaucoma home monitoring
Using iCare HOME2, you can take daily IOP measurements even when lying down. The results are uploaded to a safe cloud database from where they are easily accessible to healthcare professionals—provided with accurate IOP data to target IOP, tailor your treatment plan, and review the efficacy of interventions. Your doctors can access the results anytime to monitor IOP trends and make informed decisions about your treatment. According to studies, iCare HOME2 self-tonometer can provide a more comprehensive understanding of IOP maximum and fluctuations, enabling additional insights for making glaucoma management decisions³⁻⁴.
The lightweight and battery-powered iCare HOME2 uses rebound tonometry, a proven Finnish invention over 20 years old. With a gentle touch, it measures pressure through the rebound speed of a single-use probe. Measuring requires no anesthesia, drops, air or other preparation. Long-term results can be reviewed graphically via a mobile or computer application, making it an easy and efficient tool for monitoring eye health. Welcome to the future of better eye care.
Tip! With the intuitive PATIENT2 Mobile App, you can follow IOP trends on an iOS or Android mobile device and quickly send the IOP results for healthcare professionals to view. You can download the app here:
Patients benefits of using iCare HOME2
- It helps compare the effect of various medications on IOP to find the optimum regime for a specific patient.
- The IOP data can reveal the need for surgery sooner. The technique allows post-surgical monitoring to begin without delay.
- It can provide valuable additional information when treating patients with progressing glaucoma despite reasonable IOPs at the clinic. By enabling patients to collect IOP data and clinicians to follow up with them remotely, iCare HOME2 can save patients and healthcare resources.
- The ability to deliver virtual care is valuable in rural and remote settings.
Sources
- Barkana, Y., Anis, S., Liebmann, J., Tello, C., & Ritch, R. (2006). Clinical utility of intraocular pressure monitoring outside of normal office hours in patients with glaucoma. Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill.: 1960), 124(6), 793–797. https://doi.org/10.1001/archopht.124.6.793
- Nakakura, S., Nomura, Y., Ataka, S., & Shiraki, K. (2007). Relation between office intraocular pressure and 24-hour intraocular pressure in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma treated with a combination of topical antiglaucoma eye drops. Journal of glaucoma, 16(2), 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1097/IJG.0b013e31802ff85f
- Liu, J., De Francesco, T., Schlenker, M., & Ahmed, I. I. (2020). ICare Home Tonometer: A Review of Characteristics and Clinical Utility. Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.), 14, 4031–4045. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S284844
- Levin, A. M., McGlumphy, E. J., Chaya, C. J., Wirostko, B. M., & Johnson, T. V. (2022). The utility of home tonometry for peri-interventional decision-making in glaucoma surgery: Case series. American journal of ophthalmology case reports, 28, 101689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajoc.2022.101689
