DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE ASYMMETRY IN RURAL BASED HOSPITAL OF NORTH INDIA

Purpose To Check the importance of Intraocular Pressure Asymmetry In Rural-Based Hospitals In North India. Methods A prospective study was conducted on all the patients above the age of 40 years who attended ophthalmology OPD of NC Medical College and Hospital, Israna. The study was conducted for a period of 6 months from December 2022 to May 2023. A total of 200 patients were taken for the study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of IOP asymmetry in patients visiting hospitals in north India. Intraocular pressures were measured by Non-contact tonometry (NCT) for both eyes in each case two times. The ones with IOP asymmetry of more than 3mmHg is measured again with Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT). The amount of absolute IOP asymmetry between the 2 eyes was calculated by subtracting the lower IOP from the higher IOP, which were hence compared to see the percentage difference of IOP asymmetry present in glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous patients. Glaucoma was diagnosed if the intraocular pressure asymmetry difference was > 5 mm hg with signicant glaucomatous optic disk and eld changes. Results A difference of >3mmHg is associated with 19% probability of having glaucoma and a difference of >5mmHg with 50% probability of having glaucoma. Conclusions Inter-eye Intraocular pressure (IOP) asymmetry is a regular nding in glaucoma patients. There is a direct relationship between the amount of IOP asymmetry between fellow eyes and the probability of having glaucoma.