What type of tonometry is typically employed in routine eye exams?

Applanation tonometry is the preferred method used in routine eye exams for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP). This technique involves flattening a small area of the cornea and measuring the force required to achieve that flattening. The validity of this method rests on the principle that the pressure inside the eye resists the flattening, allowing for accurate pressure readings. It is widely used in clinical practice due to its reliability and the ease with which it can be performed, making it suitable for routine assessments.

In contrast, indentation tonometry measures the degree of indentation made on the cornea by a known weight, but it can be less accurate depending on corneal thickness and other factors. Compression tonometry measures how much corneal tissue must be compressed to gauge pressure, and dynamic contour tonometry is a more specialized technique that uses a contour matching principle and is not commonly employed in standard check-ups. Therefore, applanation tonometry stands out as the standard approach in routine evaluations for its precision and practicality.