Accurate intraocular pressure measurement using calibrated Goldmann applanation tonometry.
Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only proven modifiable risk factor in the management of glaucoma. While non-contact "air-puff" tonometers offer quick screening, they are susceptible to patient movement and corneal biomechanical variance. Goldmann Applanation Tonometry (GAT) remains the universally accepted international gold standard for measuring intraocular fluid pressure with supreme clinical reliability.
At Atharva Glaucoma Centre, Goldmann Applanation Tonometry is performed at every follow-up visit. By measuring the force required to flatten a calibrated 3.06 mm circular area of the central cornea, Dr. Amola Gandhi obtains exact pressure readings essential for titrating glaucoma medications and verifying surgical efficacy.
The procedure relies on the Imbert-Fick law, which states that the pressure inside a thin-walled sphere equals the counterforce required to flatten a given plane surface divided by the area of flattening. Because of the surface tension of tears and corneal rigidity, the calibrated 3.06 mm biprism of the Goldmann tonometer uniquely neutralizes these physical forces.
A drop of mild topical anesthetic combined with fluorescein dye is placed in the eye. Under cobalt blue slit-lamp illumination, two fluorescent semicircles are observed. Dr. Gandhi adjusts the calibrated dial until the inner margins of the semicircles just touch, yielding an exact IOP reading in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
Fluctuations in ocular pressure throughout the day can accelerate optic nerve cupping. Precision tonometry captures subtle pressure spikes that screening air-puff devices routinely miss.
Combined with pachymetric corneal thickness adjustments, our clinic establishes your true target pressure, avoiding both over-medication and silent visual loss.
Why Goldmann Applanation Tonometry is essential for every glaucoma patient:
Not at all. Numbing eye drops are administered before testing, so you will feel nothing more than a gentle light touching your eye surface.
Statistically normal IOP typically ranges between 10 to 21 mmHg. However, "normal-tension glaucoma" can develop even at pressures below 21 mmHg, which is why comprehensive testing is indispensable.
Yes. The numbing drops wear off in about 15 minutes, allowing you to resume normal daily activities immediately.