What is a glaucoma test and why is it important?
There are a few variations of the glaucoma test. The purpose of all of them is to measure the pressure inside your eye. The most common glaucoma test is the “puff-of-air” test, technically known as the non-contact tonometer. For this test, the optician will start by having you put your chin on the machine’s chin rest. While you look at a light inside the machine, the optician will line it up and puff a small burst of air at your open eye. It is completely painless, and the tonometer does not come in contact with the eye. Based on your eye’s resistance to the puff of air, the machine calculates your intraocular pressure. The whole test takes just a few seconds. Since glaucoma is often the result of an increase of pressure inside the eye, it is a very important test for ensuring the long-term health of your eyes.
