Applanation Tonometry: Why Does the Doctor Touch My Eye With a Blue Light?
Applanation Tonometry is the gold-standard test for measuring the pressure inside your eye - a key number in catching glaucoma early. At Save Sight Centre, it's a routine part of your consultation, using a numbed, painless touch that gives our doctors the most accurate reading available.
Fee depends on the consulting doctor. Applanation Tonometry is always included - never billed separately.
Book Your ConsultationWhat Is Applanation Tonometry?
A quick, layman's explanation before your visit.
Numbed, Not Painful
A numbing drop is applied first, so the brief probe contact feels like nothing at all.
The Gold Standard
More precise than air-puff screening, which is why it's the method doctors trust most for real decisions.
Already Included
At Save Sight Centre, this test is part of your consultation - there's no separate bill for it.
Why Would I Need Applanation Tonometry?
Eye specialists at Save Sight Centre check your eye pressure with applanation tonometry in the following situations:
Routine glaucoma screeningA standard part of every comprehensive eye consultation at Save Sight Centre.
You're over 40Glaucoma risk rises with age, making regular pressure checks important.
Family history of glaucomaSince the condition often runs in families and can develop silently.
Diagnosed with ocular hypertensionTo monitor pressure closely, since it raises future glaucoma risk.
On long-term steroid medicationSteroids can raise eye pressure as a side effect that needs monitoring.
Already on glaucoma treatmentTo check whether your current eye drops or therapy are working.
After eye surgeryTo ensure pressure inside the eye returns to a safe, stable range.
Sudden eye pain or blurred visionTo rule out an acute pressure spike needing urgent treatment.
What Happens During Applanation Tonometry?
Here's exactly how it goes at Save Sight Centre, step by step.
A numbing drop is applied
This takes effect within seconds, so you won't feel the test itself.
A harmless orange dye is added
Fluorescein dye helps the doctor see the exact area of contact under blue light.
You rest your chin on the slit lamp
Keeping your head steady helps get an accurate, quick reading.
The probe briefly touches your cornea
Contact lasts only a second or two per eye - most patients barely notice it.
Your pressure reading is recorded instantly
No waiting for results - the number is available immediately.
The doctor explains your reading
As part of your consultation, you'll know right away what your number means.
What Is a Normal Eye Pressure Reading?
Eye pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). Here's a simple guide to the ranges.
These are general guidelines, not a diagnosis. Save Sight Centre's doctors interpret your pressure reading alongside your optic nerve health and other test results, since pressure alone doesn't confirm or rule out glaucoma.
How Is Applanation Tonometry Different From the Air-Puff Test?
Both measure eye pressure, but they work differently and serve different purposes.
| Applanation Tonometry | Air-Puff (Non-Contact) Tonometry | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | A small probe gently touches the numbed cornea | A brief puff of air is directed at the eye |
| Accuracy | Gold standard - the most precise reading | Good for quick screening, less precise |
| Comfort | Painless with numbing drops; brief contact | No contact, but the air puff can startle some patients |
| When Save Sight Centre uses it | Whenever a precise, reliable number is needed for diagnosis or monitoring | Occasionally for quick, preliminary screening |
How Much Does a Applanation Tonometry Cost in Delhi?
At Save Sight Centre, the Applanation Tonometry is never billed on its own - it's part of your consultation fee, which depends on the doctor you see.
| Doctor | Consultation Includes | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Rajeev Jain Director, Retina, Cataract, LASIK & Uvea Specialist |
Applanation Tonometry + full consultation | ₹1,200 |
| Dr. Shuchi Gupta Phacoemulsification, LASIK, Glaucoma & Anterior Segment Specialist |
Applanation Tonometry + full consultation | ₹800 |
| Dr. Ankit Malhotra Phacoemulsification, LASIK, Glaucoma & Anterior Segment Specialist |
Applanation Tonometry + full consultation | ₹800 |
Why Choose Save Sight Centre for Applanation Tonometry?
For over 15 years, our team in Adarsh Nagar has relied on applanation tonometry as one of the most important few seconds of any eye consultation - a single number that, combined with the right clinical judgment, can catch glaucoma years before vision is affected.
We've measured eye pressure for over 1,70,000 patients across Delhi NCR, giving our doctors the experience to read a borderline number correctly rather than either over-treating or missing early disease.
See Dr. Rajeev Jain's full profile →
See Dr. Shuchi Gupta's full profile →
Frequently Asked Questions About Applanation Tonometry
Straight answers to the most common questions our patients search for.
No, applanation tonometry is not painful. At Save Sight Centre, a numbing eye drop is applied first, so you'll feel nothing more than a light touch as the probe briefly contacts your cornea.
Yes, applanation tonometry is a contact test - a small, sterile probe gently touches the surface of your numbed cornea for a second or two. This direct contact is what makes it the gold-standard, most accurate way to measure eye pressure.
The test itself takes less than a minute per eye at Save Sight Centre, including the brief wait for the numbing drop to take effect.
Yes, it's very safe. Save Sight Centre uses a sterilised or single-use probe tip for every patient, so there is no meaningful risk of infection or corneal injury from the brief, gentle contact.
A normal intraocular pressure reading generally falls between 10 and 21 mmHg. Save Sight Centre's doctors interpret your specific number alongside your optic nerve health and other test results, since pressure alone doesn't confirm or rule out glaucoma.
The air-puff test is non-contact and uses a burst of air to estimate eye pressure, making it quick for basic screening but less precise. Applanation tonometry directly contacts the cornea and is considered the gold-standard, more accurate method - Save Sight Centre uses it as the primary test whenever precise readings matter.
Most adults should have their eye pressure checked every 1-2 years as part of a routine eye exam. Save Sight Centre recommends yearly checks for anyone over 40, with a family history of glaucoma, or already diagnosed with elevated eye pressure.
Applanation tonometry is included in your consultation fee at Save Sight Centre - there is no separate charge. The consultation fee depends on the doctor: Dr. Rajeev Jain charges ₹1,200, while Dr. Shuchi Gupta and Dr. Ankit Malhotra each charge ₹800.
Yes, this is called ocular hypertension - elevated eye pressure without visible optic nerve damage or vision loss. Save Sight Centre monitors these patients closely, since ocular hypertension raises the future risk of developing glaucoma.
Continue Reading
Know Your Eye Pressure Number
Book a consultation at Save Sight Centre - Applanation Tonometry is included, with clear answers the same day.
Book Your Consultation