Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Opticians

Category: Technology

Tonometer

  August 14, 2025
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A tonometer refers to the equipment that is used in tonometry – a way of measuring the pressure inside your eyes. Tonometry is rarely performed at your average comprehensive eye exam unless you are at high risk of or have been already diagnosed with glaucoma. Fortunately, tonometry can be used to detect changes in eye pressure before they cause any symptoms, enabling prompt action to be taken before your vision is affected.

About Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a common eye condition that occurs when the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. It’s normally caused by fluid building up in the front part of the eye, which causes the pressure inside the eyes to build. As the pressure increases, the optic nerve becomes increasingly damaged, and this prevents messages from being transmitted between your eyes and brain effectively. As a result, the patient’s vision becomes compromised. Without treatment, the level of vision loss will continue to increase. Unfortunately, any vision that has been lost as a result of glaucoma cannot be restored.
 

Most of the time, glaucoma develops very slowly which means that many people don’t realize that they are affected until some damage to their vision has already occurred. However, occasionally glaucoma can develop quickly, and symptoms do occur.

These can include:

  • Red eyes

  • Intense headaches

  • Tenderness around the eyes

  • Eye pain

  • Seeing rings/halos around lights

  • Blurred vision

  • Nausea and vomiting

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important that you make an appointment with your eye doctor right away so that you can be assessed. You are likely to have a tonometry test as part of this assessment.
 

What To Expect From Tonometry Testing

There are various methods of tonometry testing, but many eye doctors use either Goldmann tonometry, which is the conventional technique to measure eye pressure, or electronic tonometry.
 

Goldmann tonometry testing is carried out using the Goldmann applanation tonometer, which is attached to a slit lamp microscope. This requires anesthetic eye drops to be used which numb your eyes, before a small probe is pressed gently against the eye, indenting the cornea. The pressure that the cornea pushes back onto the tonometer is what is measured to give your IOP reading. Electronic tonometry is where a handheld, mobile device is gently and quickly applied to the cornea to check the pressure, providing an accurate reading. Some eye doctors also offer non-contact tonometry which is where a puff of air is used to flatten the cornea, although this is reported to be less accurate than the Goldmann technique.

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Optomap

 
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Optomap is a new technology that gives eye doctors the ability to perform ultra-wide retinal imaging. In contrast to conventional retinal imaging, Optomap captures at least 50% more of the retina in a single capture, and with Optomap’s multi-capture function, up to 97% of the retina can be viewed. This gives eye care professionals greater opportunity to monitor the health and condition of patient vision.
 

Why Is Optomap Important?

Optomap is another great preventative eyecare technology tool. By allowing your eye doctor to have a comprehensive view of your retina, they will be able to detect any developing eye diseases early on, before they have a detrimental impact on your vision and day to day life. Not only can Optomap detect eye conditions such as retinal holes, retinal detachment, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, but it can also be used to identify some general health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer.
 

What To Expect From Optomap Scanning

Optomap is a fast, painless and non-invasive procedure that is suitable for patients of all ages, even children and pregnant women. Many patients require their eyes to be dilated ahead of the scan and will be given eyedrops which will widen their pupils and make it easier for the camera to see the structures inside the eye. Pupil dilation is painless, but patients may feel more sensitive to light both during their Optomap scan and afterwards for up to 24 hours. You may also have slightly blurred vision for a few hours. Once your eyes are dilated, you’ll be sat down and asked to look into a small device that will take the pictures of your retina. A short flash of light will let you know that the image has been taken, and the entire imaging is over in just a few seconds. The results will be sent digitally to your eye doctor who will then evaluate them. The results will also be stored on your personal optical record for future information.  

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Lens Technology

 
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Thanks to the advancement of lens technology, glasses lenses are no longer a single, one size fits all solution. There are a variety of different lens types that can be used in glasses, giving patients greater flexibility and control over their vision than ever before.
 

Single Vision Lenses

Also known as monovision lenses, these lenses are designed to correct the wearer’s vision at just one distance, and have a single prescription covering the entire surface of the lens. They are most often recommended for people who are either nearsighted (myopia) or farsighted (hyperopia) and who need glasses for a specific activity, such as driving or reading.
 

Progressive Lenses

Progressive lenses are multifocal lenses that can correct a patient’s vision at different working distances, ranging from far distance to reading distance. However, rather than designating different areas on the lenses for different distances with visible lines separating them, progressive lenses have a gradual change so that the wearer can smoothly transition from one lens power to another.
 

Bifocal And Trifocal Lenses

As you may have guessed from the name, bifocal and trifocal lenses have either two or three lens powers depending on which type you choose. Bifocal lenses support distance vision in the top half of the lens, and near vision in the lower half. Trifocal lenses support distance vision in the top third of the lens, intermediate vision in the middle segment and near vision in the bottom third. Whichever variety you choose, you will see visible lines separating each segment.

Bifocal and trifocal lenses are recommended for patients who are near or farsighted, and those who develop presbyopia, which is the natural hardening of the eye lens, that occurs as we get older. Presbyopia makes it harder for the lens of the eye to adapt to focus at different distances.
 

Multifocal Lenses

Multifocal lenses are the alternative name given to bifocal, trifocal and progressive lenses.
 

Computer Lenses

Computer lenses are prescription lenses that are specifically designed to be worn when doing computer work. This is because they place the optimum lens power for viewing your computer screen exactly where you need it – which is closer than intermediate vision, but further away than reading material is usually held. Wearing computer lenses can significantly reduce the negative effects caused by the high visual demands of computer work, including blurred vision, redness, dry eyes, double vision and dizziness.
 

Transition Lenses

Also known as photochromic lenses, transition lenses are a special type of lens that darken when in the sunlight and lighten when in softer light or the dark. This versatility gives the wearer the convenience of being able to move between different environments without needing to change their glasses. This makes them extremely cost effective and prevent the wearer from needing to take multiple pairs of glasses out with them. Transition lenses also filter out many of the harmful UV rays that are emitted from the sun, helping to keep eyes healthy too. They are ideal for people who spend a lot of time going between inside and outside, or who work outside in varying weather conditions.
 

Blue Light Lenses

Blue light lenses are specially crafted lenses that contain filters that block out much of the artificial blue light that is produced by digital devices like computers, smartphones and tablets. Natural blue light is actually good for balancing our sleep-wake cycle, boosting our mood and enhancing our cognitive abilities so that we can function better day to day. However, too much blue light, especially from artificial sources, can have the opposite effect. Many people who fail to use blue light lenses can go on to develop digital eye strain, which produces symptoms like eye fatigue, dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches and more. Blue light lenses are recommended for anyone who spends a lot of time working on a digital device.
 

Polarized Lenses

Polarized lenses are used to reduce eyestrain and improve the quality of vision in patients on especially sunny days, making them ideal for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors. They can do this because they have a special filter that blocks some of the light from passing through the lens. Vertical light is allowed to pass through, while horizontal light, such as that which bounces off of water and can be blinding, is blocked. Polarized lenses are most often used in sunglasses since they are worn outdoors, and the wearer also needs to protect their eyes from UV damage.

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Visual Field

 
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Visual field testing is an important part of most standard comprehensive eye exams. Also sometimes known as perimetry testing, Visual field testing is a method to measure the entire scope of vision of an individual, including their peripheral/side vision.
 

The Importance Of Visual Field Testing

Visual field testing is one of the most effective diagnostic treatments in the detection of glaucoma. This is because when patients are affected by glaucoma, it is usually the peripheral vision that is affected by their condition first. However, it can also be used to detect central or peripheral retinal diseases, eyelid conditions such as drooping, optic nerve damage and conditions that affect the visual pathways from the optic nerve to the area of the brain where this information is processed into vision.
 

Visual field testing is also an important part of monitoring for people who are considered to be at risk for vision loss from disease and other problems, including those who have been diagnosed with the following:

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Hyperthyroidism

  • Pituitary gland disorders

  • Central nervous system problems (such as a tumor that may be pressing on the brain)

  • Stroke

  • Diabetes

  • High blood pressure
     

What To Expect From Visual Field Testing

There are a variety of methods that can be used to perform visual field testing, including:
 

Static automated perimetry. This is where a machine is used to quantify how well the patient is able to detect flashing lights of varying size and brightness in different areas of their visual field, while they concentrate on a central point. The patient responds by pushing a button when they see the light.

Kinetic perimetry. This involves points of light that are fixed in size and intensity and are presented along the patient’s peripheral vision, before being gradually moved inwards to determine their field of vision. 

Visual field testing is non-invasive, painless and doesn’t require patients to have their eyes dilated. The results, which are usually presented in a series of charts, are digital and sent directly to your eye doctor for interpretation. Depending on the outcome of your results, you may be recommended for further diagnostic testing which could include blood tests. If you have been diagnosed with glaucoma, you will probably be recommended to have several visual field tests each year, which will help your eye doctor to monitor the progression of your condition and recommend treatments to slow it.

If you would like more information about visual field testing, or if you have concerns about your peripheral vision, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with your experienced and knowledgeable eyecare team today.

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Smartphone Vision Accessibility

 
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How smart would your smartphone really be if only people with 20/20 vision could use it? Turns out, the designers of the most ubiquitous smartphone technologies out there, the Android and Apple iPhone, thought a smartphone like that wouldn’t be very smart at all. From its inception, the smartphone has always had accessibility built right into the system itself. 

Mobile accessibility, refers to any established set of features designed to improve a technology’s functionality for people with various types and degrees of disability. Simply having the option to increase the volume on your smartphone, or nearly any telephone for that matter, is an accessibility feature allowing people with some degree of hearing loss to better make use of their phone by TURNING UP THE VOLUME!

The smartphones of today are very vision oriented, and while the trend to make the smartphone ever smaller has seemed to ease up in favor of slightly larger, more advanced display screens (that is, at least for now…), even the larger, most vivid displays can present challenges for anyone with low vision or some degree of vision loss.
 

Smartphone Vision Accessibility

Like most smartphones nowadays, the iPhone has a host of vision accessibility features all found on the ACCESSIBILITY menu found after clicking SETTINGS.
 

Voice Over

Voice Over is a screen reader that describes what’s happening on your device so you can navigate by listening and performing gestures. Voice Over’s speaking rate and pitch can be adjusted to fit your needs.
 

Typing Feedback

When you turn on Typing Feedback, your device speaks letters and words as you type, and speaks auto-corrections and capitalizations as they appear.
 

Audio Descriptions

While watching movies on your iPhone or iPad you can turn on audio descriptions to have scenes described to you.
 

Magnifier

Magnifier can turn your smartphone a magnifying glass so you can zoom in on objects near you.
 

Display And Text Size

You can adjust your Display and Text Size features, like Invert Colors, to change the way content appears on your display. You can also adjust the font size, color intensity, and tint to make reading easier.
 

Zoom

You can adjust Zoom settings to magnify your screen no matter what you’re doing. You can magnify the entire screen (Full-Screen Zoom) or magnify only part of the screen with a resizable lens (Window Zoom).
 

Reduce Motion:

If you have sensitivity to motion effects or screen movement on your iPhone or iPad, you can use Reduce Motion to turn off these effects.

(https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210076)

Some or all of these accessibility features are available on iPhones, iPads, Android phones, and most likely any device you’re using.
 

Hello, Google! Your Personal Virtual Assistant

Apple’s Siri, Google’s Google Assistant, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Amazon’s Alexa among others have literally changed the game for vision impaired people using smartphones.

A virtual assistant, sometimes referred to as AI – artificial intelligence, is a smartphone feature or application that understands voice commands and completes tasks for a user speaking to it. Virtual assistants are available on most smartphones and tablets, traditional computers, and even standalone devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home.

Can’t see your phone display very well, just talk to it!

Vision accessibility on your smartphone does not take the place of corrective lenses, eyeglasses, vision enhancement laser eye surgery, or regular visits to your eye doctor. Start by talking to your eye doctor and then using your smartphone in the smartest way possible.

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Screen Time & Eye Sight

 
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The Digital Age is said to have officially begun in the mid-20th century when the world’s largest economies shifted from traditional industries to an economy based on the latest information technology.

The internet as we know it became public in 1993, with desktop computers becoming fairly common later that decade, followed in short time by laptop computers and smartphones. In 2024 it is estimated that 91% of adults in the US own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011.

Screen Time And Vision Problems

The average screen time in the United States is said to be around 7 hours and 3 minutes per day on internet-connected devices according to the most recent data. Vermont is ranked 42nd out of the 50 states, averaging around 4 hours and 37 minutes.1

Screen time has become so ubiquitous in education, communication, recreation, and entertainment that it is nearly impossible to go without it for some amount of time each day. Even one hour a day in front of a screen can increase chances of developing myopia or nearsightedness, by 21%.2 As a result, it is expected that nearly half of the world’s population will be nearsighted by 2050.3

Vision and eye related concerns caused by excessive screen time are collectively referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Essentially damage caused by repetitive motion, CVS is not dissimilar to carpal tunnel syndrome, except for the eyes. CVS includes everything from myopia to presbyopia (a decline in the eye’s ability to focus), to dry eye, eye discomfort, and eye strain.

Blue Light And Your Eyes

Blue light is emitted from all handheld electronic devices, desktop and laptop computers, and televisions. It is the shortest and highest energy wavelength of visible light and with overexposure, can cause significant damage to many parts of the eye including the macula, retina, and photoreceptors.

Damage from blue light from smartphones is particularly important because smartphones are often used in dim light, close to the eyes. Unlike ordinary computer vision fatigue, damage from blue light is serious, cumulative, and irreversible, and includes: 4

  • Cell damage in both the inner and outer layers of photoreceptors (rods and cones), and in the retina

  • Damage to the fine capillaries in retina cone photoreceptors

  • Edema, or swelling of the retina

  • Development of cystoid spaces (cysts) further indicates edema

  • Inner blood-retinal barrier damaged

The Evolution Of Sight

It is considered inevitable that the more time humans spend sitting and relatively sedentary in front of computers and smart phone, the more likely those behaviors will affect our evolution as a species.

Studies are ongoing, but it is agreed that children should be reducing their screen time as much as possible to avoid the most prevalent effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting children’s total screen time to no more than one to two hours per day. For children younger than 2 years, screen time is discouraged altogether.

Evolution is inevitable, and only time will really tell the effects of our growing addiction to screen time. You are most likely reading this on a screen right now!

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Lipiflow

 
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Dry eyes are one of the most common conditions that can affect our eyes and is estimated to affect millions of Americans. As you’ve probably guessed, dry eyes occur when tears fail to provide enough natural lubrication for the eyes to be comfortable and healthy. Exactly what causes dry eyes can vary significantly, from side effects from medications to prolonged computer use. What is clear is that while the condition isn’t sight-threatening, it can make day to day life much harder than it needs to be. Fortunately, there are treatments that can help, and arguably one of the most effective is Lipiflow.

What is Lipiflow?

Lipiflow is a new technological solution that addresses the underlying cause of your dry eyes, rather than simply treating the symptoms. It is most effective at helping patients whose dry eyes are caused by meibomian gland dysfunction – a condition characterized by problems with the way that the meibomian glands produce the oil that forms an essential part of our tear film. The meibomian glands can become less productive, or in some cases, even blocked by hardened oil deposits. This prevents the oil from reaching your tear film, making it less effective. Lipiflow targets the meibomian glands, warming them to break down oily blockages and massaging your eyes to make sure that the oil, and then the tear film, is evenly dispersed. This helps to combat the symptoms associated with dry eyes, which can include:

  • Eye fatigue

  • Dry, scratchy and uncomfortable eyes

  • Blurred vision

  • Sensitivity to light

  • Difficulty wearing contact lenses
     

Your eye doctor will be able to advise you if Lipiflow has the potential to be a suitable solution for your dry eyes.

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What to expect from Lipiflow treatment?

Lipiflow treatment is a simple, painless process that is performed in the comfort of your eye doctor’s office. There is no need for anesthetic. Once you are settled in your chair, your eye doctor will open the sterile, single-use applicators which are placed over your eyes. These are connected to a machine that causes the inner eyelids to heat to approximately 42.5°C to, while simultaneously placing gentle pressure on the outer eyelid surfaces. Lipiflow takes around 12 minutes per eye, during which time you can relax. You can even listen to music if you’d like to. There is no downtime, and patients can return to their usual activities right away. It takes around 3 days for patients to begin to see an improvement in their dry eye symptoms, although they may require further treatment in the future to maintain them. Optimal results are usually achieved around 6 to 8 weeks following your Lipiflow treatment.

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Enchroma Lens Technology

 
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If you find it difficult to tell colors apart, you may be color blind. Color blindness, or color deficiency, is estimated to affect around 8% of men and about 1% of women, but for those affected, it can significantly impact the quality of their day-to-day life. Contrary to popular belief, being color blind doesn’t mean that you can’t see any color at all. Instead, patients simply struggle to differentiate between certain colors. The vast majority of people who are color blind find it impossible to tell the difference between varying shades of red and green. You may hear this referred to as red-green color deficiency. However, this doesn’t only mean that they mix up red and green. They can also mix up colors that have some green or red light as part of their whole colors, for example purple and blue. This is because they are unable to see the red light that forms part of the color purple. 

As you can probably imagine, this type of visual impairment can be a problem for things like traffic lights, taking medications and even looking at signs and directions. For example, someone who is color blind may find that the green on a traffic light may appear white or even blue.
 

EnChroma lens technology is specifically designed to counteract red-green color deficiency and enable patients to better identify the difference in these colors or shades. They do this by selectively filtering out the red and green wavelengths of light at the exact point where the color sensitivities overlap before hitting the retina, creating far greater contrast between the colors so that the patient can distinguish between them successfully. Most cases of color blindness respond well to EnChroma’s innovative spectral lens technology, giving patients the ability to experience life in bright, vibrant technicolor.

EnChroma lenses are made from leading edge, Trivex material, and this helps to give them the best possible quality and clarity of vision. These lenses are also extremely light, strong and offer patients 100% protection against UV light, helping to keep your eyes healthy as well as improving your vision.

If you or someone you know is color blind or color deficient and could benefit from EnChroma lenses, contact your local optometrist to learn more about how they can help!

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Ortho K

 
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Many patients struggle to get through their daily lives with their current choice of vision correction. Some have eyeglasses that do not sit properly on their face or feel that their peripheral vision is hindered by the frames. While contact users may find the lenses uncomfortable or have them fall out at inconvenient times. For these patients, many doctors offer orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, a revolutionary way to help you see clearly throughout the day without having to wear glasses or contacts and without having to get laser eye surgery.
 

What Is Ortho-K?

Generations ago, eye doctors knew that the tissue in the eye was soft and somewhat malleable. This knowledge caused them to wonder if they could push the eye back into the proper shape, would an individual be able to see clearly even if they were not wearing their prescription lenses. With the development of gas permeable contact lenses, a few eye doctors began to notice that their patient’s prescriptions did not change as rapidly as previously noted and that they appeared to be able to see correctly even when they were not wearing their contacts.

From these early discoveries, the world of Ortho-K was born. Ortho-K is a special treatment to help patients see clearly even when they are not wearing a prescription lens. Instead, a special gas permeable contact lens is placed into the eye each night before bed and the lens gently pushes the eye into the proper shape while you sleep. In the morning, you can remove the lenses and still see clearly throughout the day. Some patients can even see clearly for up to three days after wearing them for just one night!
 

Who Should Consider Ortho-K?

  • There are a number of issues that our patients can have with prescription lenses. If you have one of the following conditions or concerns, call our office today to schedule an appointment.

  • Allergies to the materials in contact lenses

  • Dry eye that is made worse by wearing prescription lenses

  • Dirt or other debris that gets under contact lenses

  • You play sports and do not want to worry about glasses or contacts

  • The ability to wake up at night and see clearly

  • A general dislike of glasses or contacts
     

How Long Does It Take?

Once you receive your custom Ortho-K contact lenses, it will take anywhere from one to four weeks to fully see all the benefits to your vision that they will provide. However, some of our patients find that their vision has improved after only wearing their lenses for a single night! During the first few days, you may also still need to wear prescription lenses to see clearly enough to drive or get through your normal day, but that is generally quickly resolved. Also, some patients experience some mild discomfort for the first few nights, but as your eyes adjust over a few days, you should no longer be bothered by the feel of your lenses. Is the Procedure Safe? Orthokeratology was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. The procedure is considered safe, effective, and reversible. However, there are some side effects associated with Ortho-K. Most of these side effects are a result of improper cleaning of the lenses that can lead to a minor infection. These infections are usually remedied fairly quickly with the use of antibiotic eyedrops.
 

Overview

If you are sick and tired of wearing contact lenses or glasses every single day and would like an alternative way to correct your vision, consider trying Ortho-K.

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