According to a recent validation study, the TonoVet® rebound tonometer is the most accurate choice available for feline patients.
Conducted by Gillian J. McLellan, Jeremy P. Kemmerling, and Julie A. Kiland, the study compared IOP readings from the TonoVet® to those from the Tono-Pen XL™ and direct manometry — the gold standard — in both normal and glaucomatous cats.
Measuring IOP in cats is a delicate task
Veterinarians treating cats understand that IOP measurement in felines can be tricky. These patients are notoriously sensitive, and accurate diagnosis of ocular hypertension or glaucoma depends on subtle pressure differences. The question for years has been: which tonometer provides the most reliable and repeatable results in feline eyes?
TonoVet® outperforms the Tono-Pen XL™ in both accuracy and correlation
The researchers performed a rigorous validation process: both eyes of anesthetized cats were cannulated and IOP was varied using direct manometry from 5 to 70 mmHg, then back down. At each step, both the TonoVet® and Tono-Pen XL™ were used to obtain multiple measurements.
In addition, weekly IOP readings were gathered over 8 weeks in six normal and nine glaucomatous unsedated cats to reflect real-world clinical conditions.
Key findings:
- TonoVet® readings correlated significantly better with manometric IOP than the Tono-Pen XL™
- TonoVet® was more accurate across the full range of IOPs, particularly at higher pressures
- In the clinical setting, Tono-Pen XL™ consistently underestimated IOP compared to TonoVet®
- Both devices were repeatable, but only TonoVet® consistently delivered readings close to true IOP
In feline glaucoma management, even a few mmHg can make the difference between stability and progression. That’s why the increased accuracy of the TonoVet® is such a vital clinical advantage.
Validation of the TonoVet® rebound tonometer in normal and glaucomatous cats.