24/11/2025
A PUFF IN YOUR EYE CAN SAVE YOUR SIGHT (3 min read)
When you visit an optometrist, they’re not only checking whether you need glasses—they’re also using their skills and instruments to spot early warning signs of eye diseases you may not even know you have.
One of the tests your optometrist will do, is to measure the pressure in your eyes.
That tiny puff of air you may or may not feel, comes from a tonometer.
Just like a car tyre needs the right pressure to ensure safe travel, so your intra-ocular pressure also needs to fall within a healthy range to help your eyes to maintain their shape and keep all structures in place.
Normal eye pressure is roughly 10–21 mmHg. (mmHg = milimetres of mercury.)
If your pressure rises above this range, it can be a sign of glaucoma or other problems.
The tricky part? Glaucoma usually has no symptoms in the early stages. Without regular checks, high pressure can quietly threaten your vision.
High pressure can damage the optic nerve—the cable that carries visual information from your eye to your brain. If the nerve is harmed, the message can’t get through, and partial or even total vision loss can occur if it’s not identified and treated in time.
If your optometrist sees anything of concern which falls beyond their scope of practice, they will refer you to an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who studied another 4 years to specialise in eyes,) for a more in depth examination and treatment plan.