The IOP (intraocular pressure) should not only be measured in the cases of red eyes, but also in the cases of corneal edema, orbital diseases and a history of glaucoma or lens luxation in the opposite eye. Too high or too low pressure can cause by a variety of serious ocular diseases. Increased IOP, glaucoma, is a common eye disease in dogs, cats and horses and usually causes irreversible blindness and painful. Certain breeds of dog are commonly affected by glaucoma, but any dog – mixed or purebred – can be affected. One of the procedures that principally useful in diagnosis of glaucoma is tonometry. Tonometry is the measurement of IOP and there are 3 basic methods of tonometry that can be used to measure IOP in animals: indentation tonometry, applanation tonometry and rebound tonometry.  TONOVET, the basic and reliable equipment, is the rebound tonometry with a magnetized probe that bounces off the cornea when the cornea touched the probe. This device is easy to use and does not require topical anesthesia nor calibration. In conclusion, the IOP should be measured in all patients presented for ophthalmic examination.

We purchased our TONOVET several years ago primarily for equine work. It's easy, accurate, fast and not probe to artifact. We then started to use it on cats. They are a species that don’t tolerate exam room insults. The greatest insult to a cat is topical anesthesia. It stings when it goes in and the exam is over! Cats tolerate pressure checks with the TONOVET. Birds, reptiles, tortoises and other exotics are the same. Our technicians perform most of the tonometery and much prefer the TONOVET rebound tonometry on all species because of the reliability and lack of artifact. We will be moving to rebound tonometry as a sole means of pressure assessments. I am a convert.