PASCAL Dynamic Contour Tonometer (DCT)
The PASCAL Dynamic Contour Tonometer (DCT) is a third- generation digital contact tonometer for ophthalmological applications. A tonometer is a diagnostic devise that determines intraocular pressure (IOP), the fluid pressure inside the eye. Unlike applanation tonometers, which are influenced by corneal thickness and other characteristics of the cornea, and hence may produce misleading estimates of IOP, the PASCAL provides an accurate, direct measurement of true IOP which is independent of inter-individual variations in corneal properties and biomechanics, even on post-LASIK eyes. PASCAL detects and accurately measures the dynamic fluctuations in IOP and thus permits a more detailed assessment of the pressure range to which the eye is subjected due to ocular blood flow. Multiple studies have concluded that the PASCAL DCT is the most accurate tonometer currently available.
The PASCAL DCT is a valuable tool in the early detection of glaucoma. Glaucoma is the disorder of the eye associated with a buildup of pressure in the eye. Glaucoma is not a single disease, but is a combination of diseases which can lead to damage to the optic nerve and vision loss. An estimated two million Americans are affected by glaucoma, with half of those unaware that they have the disease. Additionally, between five and ten million Americans have elevated pressure in the eye, putting them at high risk for the disease. If left untreated, glaucoma usually leads to permanent loss of vision which can progress to complete blindness. An estimated eighty thousand cases of blindness are caused by glaucoma in the US. Because glaucoma patients are typically without symptoms until late in the disease, early diagnosis is critical.
Eye Care Hawaii was the first practice in Hawaii to incorporate the Pascal DCT!
