The air-puff test
Non-contact tonometry. A short puff of air flattens the cornea for a moment, and the machine reads the pressure from how it responds. Nothing touches the eye.
Tonometry Test
A measurement of the pressure inside the eye. Quick, part of most eye examinations, and it does not hurt.
- Senior Consultant Eye Surgeons
- 50+ combined years in ophthalmology
- Seven clinics in six locations islandwide
Camden (Orchard)Joo ChiatClementiBedokToa PayohJurong
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What tonometry is
Tonometry is the test that measures the pressure inside your eye. It is the eye pressure test, and it takes seconds.
The eye is filled with fluid that is always being made and drained away, and the balance sets the pressure. The reading is given in millimetres of mercury, written mmHg.
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An air puff: nothing touches the eye
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A small probe: it rests on the eye for a moment
The ways eye pressure is measured
Three common methods. Your eye doctor decides which is used.
The contact method
After a numbing drop, and often a yellow dye, a small probe on the slit lamp rests on the cornea for a second or two.
A hand-held probe
A light probe touches the cornea very briefly and bounces back. Often used without a numbing drop, and for children.
The contact method is done at the slit lamp, the microscope used to look at the front of the eye.
Does tonometry hurt?
No. Most people find it quicker than they expect.
- The air puff can make you blink or jump, but it does not hurt.
- A numbing drop may sting for a moment, then you feel little or nothing.
- Your vision is unchanged, so you can read and drive as usual afterwards.
Why one reading is not a diagnosis
Pressure is one measurement among several.
- It changes through the day, so a reading may be repeated, sometimes at another visit.
- It is read with the optic nerve and side vision — an OCT scan and a visual field test.
- Your own readings over time often matter more than a single number.
What a raised reading can mean is covered under glaucoma and what counts as high.
Told your eye pressure is raised? Tell our friendly staff what you have been told and they will arrange the right appointment.
Corneal thickness and your reading
Tonometry measures through the cornea, so its thickness affects the number.
A thick cornea can make the pressure read higher than it is, and a thin one lower. That is why the cornea may be measured as well, a quick test called pachymetry.
Eye Pressure Test Cost in Singapore
An eye pressure check is part of an eye consultation, and of all four of our eye screening packages.
| Screening package | Price |
|---|---|
| Community cataract screening | $29 |
| General eye screening | $99 |
| Diabetic retinal screening | $99 |
| Comprehensive eye screening | $249 |
Prices shown are for our community clinics at Bedok, Clementi, Toa Payoh and Jurong. All fees shown are nett, and each figure is the price of the whole screening package.
The screening packages are senior optometrist-led and every report is reviewed by an ophthalmologist.
Common questions
What is a tonometry test?
A measurement of the pressure inside the eye, also called an eye pressure test. It is taken with an air puff, or with a small probe that touches the front of the eye for a moment, and the reading is given in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
Does tonometry hurt?
No. The air puff can make you jump, but it does not hurt. For the contact methods a numbing drop is often used first, so you feel little or nothing.
Is the air puff test accurate?
It gives a useful reading, and it is quick and touch-free. Where a reading needs checking, the pressure may be measured again, or with a contact method, and your eye doctor interprets it alongside the rest of the examination.
Why was my corneal thickness measured as well?
A thick cornea can make a pressure reading look higher than it is, and a thin one lower. Measuring the cornea helps your eye doctor read the pressure correctly.
Can I drive after an eye pressure test?
Yes. The test does not change your vision. If a numbing drop is used, avoid rubbing your eyes until it wears off, usually within half an hour.
How much is an eye pressure test?
No price is published for an eye pressure test on its own. It is part of all four of our eye screening packages, from $29 nett at our community clinics in Bedok, Clementi, Toa Payoh and Jurong, and part of an eye consultation.
Have your eye pressure checked
Send us a message with what you have been told and a time that suits, and our staff will arrange the appointment.
