Glaucoma is a silent disease, if left untreated, it causes progressive loss of peripheral vision until the central vision is also compromised. The vision loss is caused by irreversible damage of the optic nerve which transmits visual information from the eye to the occipital cortex in the brain. The treatment is mostly aimed to lower the intraocular pressure, which is monitored at the eye care provider’s office with a tonometer (pressure sensor) designed for that purpose. This measurement also requires the use of numbing drops placed into the eyes before the measurement is performed.
Now, like diabetes home monitoring devices, patients can self-check the intraocular pressure at home safely and accurately with the iCare Home tonometer.
How does it work?
The patient holds the device Infront of their eye, the automatic eye recognition and intelligent position assistant technology makes the process seamless and without the need of any drops reading the intraocular pressure.
The iCare Home measurement data is then uploaded on a cloud platform which the doctor and the patient can access at any time.
What patients will benefit the most from this innovation?
Patients that demonstrate fast progression of the disease and those that show signs of progression of the disease despite having normal in office intraocular pressure measurements will benefit. Additionally, patients that have transportation issues and cannot be seen every 3 or 4 months in the office.
How much does this cost?
The device is available by prescription from your eye care provider and can be purchased or rented weekly or monthly. Access to the iCare home tonometer can be obtained by visiting www.myeyes.net
Does insurance cover the cost?
Not yet, currently it is an out-of-pocket expense.
Is it the only intraocular pressure home monitor available?
There are other available technologies, but the results have not been as accurate as the iCare system or are still early in the stage of commercialization and real-world data is still pending. One possible advancement is a smart contact lens with a sensor that measures the eye pressure that may become available in the future.
