Tonometry
Dogs, cats, and most other
species can develop glaucoma, a serious and painful condition in which the
pressure inside the eye is elevated. The aqueous humor or fluid inside the eye
normally
maintains its proper pressure but when glaucoma occurs, there is too much fluid
and therefore too much pressure inside the eye. This can occur gradually over time with age
or acutely due to trauma or injury. It is important to diagnose this condition
very quickly, because increased intraocular pressure can lead to permanent
blindness. We use a hand-held electronic instrument, called a Tonopen, to determine the pressure inside the eye. It is similar to the
instrument your ophthalmologist uses to test your eyes. This is a painless
procedure that we often perform in an exam room after applying a few drops of
a topical anesthetic.