Glaucoma testing typically begins with measuring the pressure inside your eyes.

At Round Rock Eyes, we utilize the iCare tonometer for routine intraocular pressure measurements. This handheld device gently touches the cornea (the clear structure at the front of the eye) with a probe as thin as a human hair. The procedure is painless and does not startle patients, unlike older methods such as non-contact tonometry (the puff of air test).

Our doctors specialize in treating various types of glaucoma. When managing glaucoma, we use a different device, an applanation tonometer, to measure intraocular pressure. This test is reserved for glaucoma patients due to its slightly more invasive nature. The procedure involves anesthetizing the eye, then applying a larger probe to the cornea to obtain a highly accurate intraocular pressure reading.

Additional tests we use at Round Rock Eyes to monitor and manage glaucoma include:

• Virtual Visual Field (measuring your entire visual field, point by point, using an Oculus type headset)
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) (assessing the micron thickness of your optic nerve tissue)
• Pachymetry (measuring corneal thickness)
• Gonioscopy (evaluating your eye's ability to drain fluid)

Glaucoma is typically a painless condition with no noticeable vision loss until it is too late. The most effective way to prevent glaucoma is through regular eye exams, which include tonometry and OCT.