Get an Accurate Eye Exam in Manhattan to Help Diagnose Glaucoma
You typically have no warning signs of glaucoma until you already have significant vision loss. For this reason, routine eye exams that include tonometry are essential to rule out early signs of glaucoma and protect your eyesight. Tonometry determines the intraocular pressure (IOP), the fluid pressure inside the eye which ias an important test in the evaluation of patients at risk from glaucoma.
There are a few different ways to measure the pressure. The “Air Puff” test is the most commonly used test because it can be quickly done by technicians. Our Manhattan eye doctors use the Goldmann applanation tonometer because it is gentle, more accurate, and does not surprise the patient with a burst of air to their eye.
In applanation tonometry the intraocular pressure is inferred from the force required to flatten (applanate) a constant area of the cornea. In the Goldmann tonometry method, which is the most widely accepted, a disinfected prism is mounted on the tonometer head and then placed against the cornea. The examiner then uses a cobalt blue filter to view two green semi circles applying force applied to the tonometer head until the inner edges of the green semicircles in the viewfinder meet. Once an area of 3.06mm has been flattened, we can determine the pressure in the eye from the force applied.
Goldman Applanation tonometry is painless. At most, you may feel the tonometer probe tickle your eyelashes. The whole test takes just a few seconds. For a full eye exam and a diagnoses for Glaucoma call (212) 683-2004 Alan.B. Schlussel at in Manhattan.