Patients suffering from green star (glaucoma) have to have the inter-ocular pressure in their eyes monitored on a regular basis. This can cause some discomfort, and conventional methods come with a risk of infection. Researchers at the Bremen Institute for Metrology, Automation and Quality Science (BIMAQ) have come up with a new measuring technique to facilitate an otherwise rather unpleasant undertaking. They are now implementing a project to further develop their measuring device and corresponding analysis algorithms.

Working in cooperation with the Eye Clinic of the Würzburg University Clinic, the firm Weiss in Rednitzhembach (Bavaria) and SINUS Messtechnik GmbH in Leipzig, over the next three years the Bremen researchers will work on advancing the measuring technique which represents an important step in the prevention of glaucoma. The German Ministry of Education and Research is supporting the project with 1.05 million euros.

Without touching the eye, the technique is barely noticeable

By means of acoustic excitation of the eyeball the new technique makes it possible to monitor a patient’s inter-ocular pressure without actually having to touch the eye itself. The patients are able to assess the pressure themselves. First, a sealed pressure chamber is placed over the eye. Then a loudspeaker transmits a pressure impulse onto the eyeball and the resulting vibration response is measured. The patient hardly notices this pressure surge.

Successful trial experiments

The researchers have already been able to assess the technique’s feasibility by means of trial experiments on hogs’ eyes. Their objective is to ascertain the inter-ocular pressure on the basis of the eye’s vibration behavior. In order to achieve this, the project will work on developing suitable analysis algorithms and a mathematical model to describe the vibration-mechanical response of the eye and the surrounding tissue.