How Do I Know What My IOP Is?
To find out your intraocular pressure (IOP), you must schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. You may have elevated IOP and be unaware of it. There are usually no symptoms associated with elevated IOP and damage to the optic nerve. Visual acuity (sharpness) may remain normal over a long period of time, even though your peripheral vision is being affected.
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Also, some people may have IOP in the "normal range," but it may be too high if they have glaucoma or multiple risk factors for glaucoma. To find out if your IOP is normal and healthy for you, you should make an appointment with your eye doctor. |
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If one or more of the following describes you, you should have your eyes checked regularly or as instructed by your eye doctor.
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If you have one of the risk factors for glaucoma, you should have your eyes checked regularly or as instructed by your eye doctor.
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The measurement for IOP is in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. There are several methods for measuring IOP. Typically, in order to measure IOP, an eye doctor or technician will use a handheld tonometer or one that is mounted to an instrument that examines the eye.
Two common tonometry procedures are:
- Applanation tonometry:With applanation tonometry, the patient is given eye drops to numb the eyes. Special equipment touches the cornea (the outer part of the eye) in order to take an IOP measurement.
- Air puff tonometry: With this
test, a puff of air is blown toward the patient's eyes. When
the IOP measurement is taken, the patient will feel a quick
"puff" of air on their eye. The puff of air feels as if
someone quickly blew into their eyes.
Remember, symptoms of open-angle glaucoma often don't develop until it's too late to prevent significant damage to the optic nerve. Therefore, it's important to get regular exams and make sure your IOP levels aren't too high. If you haven't done so already, there's no better time than the present!
To learn what can be done if your eye doctor tells you your IOP is too high, visit Your Treatment.
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