USER CASE Can you tell us how you use TONOVET now? We perform all of our IOP measurements with TONOVET. However, we still also use the old type of tonometer, to double check, when the measurement produces a figure much higher than observation suggests. TONOVET produces reliable results even in these cases. My assistant, Dr. Hata, can now also perform IOP measure- ments if I do not have time or am busy, and I can review them afterwards. I find that, with TONOVET, the data is stable regardless of whoever does the measurement, as long as they know how to use the instrument. At the moment, only Dr. Hata and I use it, but I think we will probably increasingly ask our veterinary nurses to perform IOP measurements. Dr. Hata, have you ever used the old type of hand-held tonometer? I used the old type of tonometer for around six months. What is the TONOVET like to use? It is easy to use for measuring animals with small eyes, such as shiba inu, because you can take a measurement even if the eyes do not open very wide. With the old type of tonometer, there was concern that pressure on the eyeball while the eyelid was open would raise intraocular pressure, because you needed to bring a large surface area into contact with the eye. With TONOVET you can be more confident of the mea- surement data, because this problem is removed. Are there any points you have to be careful of when measuring IOP? You need to keep the TONOVET steady, and avoid shaking it. In that way, you can get a good measurement, because the distance between the apex of the cornea and the probe remains steady. I think the most important thing is the position of the animal and the person holding it. At this clinic, we usually ask the owner to hold the animal, and we explain to them that they only need to hold up its chin, rather than pressing on its neck, so that the IOP is not increased by pressure on the area around the eyeball or on the neck. Do the veterinary nurses also sometimes hold the animal? Yes, of course. Sometimes, even when we ask the owner to hold it, they cannot because they are not used to dealing with it, or they might not be able to help if the animal dislikes being exam- ined. In my opinion, since we started using TONOVET, owners are more likely to come back to the clinic, and are happier to let their animal have an IOP test because the animals do not mind it and it is quick. SIGHT IS IMPORTANT FOR ANIMALS, TOO. You have been involved in veterinary ophthal- mology for many years, but how do you make people aware of ophthalmic care? When I give an animal an all-over check, I ask the owner questions like, ‘Do the animal’s eyes get red? Do its eyes get itchy or bleary?’ In cases of this kind, or with owners of breeds which are prone to suffering from glaucoma, such as shiba inu, cocker or cavalier spaniels, shih-tzus, pugs, or Maltese terriers, when I perform a check-up along with their anti-rabies injection or vaccinations, I explain the importance of IOP tests and ask if they would like me to check the animal’s eyes. If the test results are in the grey zone, I have them come to the clinic about every three months and track their progress. An owner once told me, ‘yesterday, my animal suddenly seemed to go blind and has since been walking around bumping into things’. When I examined the animal, my ob- servations suggested that it had probably lost sight in one eye 14 WWW.ICARETONOMETER.COM
