tt2ps t1_iqy77ux wrote on October 3, 2022 at 11:29 PM

The "air puff" test is a non-contact tonometry test and is mostly used as a screening device for glaucoma. There are also contact versions such as a Tono-Pen (hand held device that sort of looks like a pen-it's good for swollen lids like post-surgery) and applanation tonometry with an instrument that swings down from the slit-lamp (you have to have yellow anesthetic drops first, chin in the chin rest/forehead against the band, and then a blue light will appear to come close-it's actually touching the surface of the cornea).

I worked in retinal ophthalmology clinics for twenty years and I had loads of new ophthalmic techs practice on me with all the versions and I'd prefer be applanated with the slit-lamp mounted type. Glaucoma diagnosis and treatment will be based on the slit-lamp kind of applanation tonometry.

coldblackmaple t1_iqy90bn wrote on October 3, 2022 at 11:43 PM

That’s what I was going to say but in much less technical terms. I have an eye disease and in the past four years I’ve probably been to the ophthalmologist 50 times. I’ve had all the different kinds of pressure test. I prefer the air puff because I don’t like getting the numbing drops but to each their own. :-) But I have been told by the techs that the one that touches your eye is the most accurate.