Frequently asked questions about tonometers

• How does the tonometer work?

  The probe of the iCare tonometers consists of a magnetised steel wire shaft covered with a round plastic tip at the end (0.9mm radius). The probe is placed in the tube-like probe base surrounded by a solenoid. When the measurement button is pressed, the probe briefly pops out, touches the cornea and rebounds back. This movement of the magnetized wire through the solenoid induces a small current which is measured.

  The rebound behaviour of the probe is used to calculate the intraocular pressure (IOP). The probe will contact the cornea for about 0.1 seconds when the measurement button is pressed. The force applied is minimal and does not elicit a blink reflex. This eliminates the need to anaesthetise the cornea. All the iCare tonometer models have the same rebound technology.

• Why does the tonometer make six measurement?

  Six measurements are required to provide accurate measurement results by eliminating the variations caused by operator error and heart rate.

• Is the iCare tonometer measurement painless?

  Measurement is painless. The light-weight probe touches the cornea momentarily and some patients don’t even notice the measurement.

• Is it possible to hurt the eye with iCare tonometer?

  If the device is used according to the instructions given in user manual, the light-weight probe cannot cause any damage to the patient’s eye.