Antti Kontiola’s Journey from Figure Skating Champion to Medical Technology Pioneer
Antti Kontiola’s journey from Finnish figure skating champion to medical technology innovator is inspiring. After retiring from skating in 1984, he became a primary care specialist. In 1993, while working in a dementia ward, he faced the challenge of measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in uncooperative patients, which inspired his invention of rebound tonometry.
Rebound tonometry measures IOP by bouncing a lightweight probe off the cornea and analyzing the rebound, offering a simple yet revolutionary solution for diagnosing conditions like glaucoma. Despite challenges in development, including prototyping and funding, Kontiola’s persistence led to successful clinical trials in 1995 and the production of the device by Tiolat Oy (now iCare Finland) in 2003.
Today, the iCare tonometer is the gold standard in rebound tonometry, with over 130,000 units sold globally. Kontiola’s innovation has had a significant impact on ophthalmology, providing reliable IOP measurement for a wide range of patients and improving patient care worldwide. His story exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary thinking and creative problem-solving.
Experience the gold standard of rebound tonometry for yourself. Get started here: The original developer of rebound tonometry – iCare (icare-world.com)