iCare tonometers are easy-to-use, hand-held, battery-operated devices that require only minimal training. All iCare tonometers use rebound technology for quick and reliable intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements. The painless measuring process is accurate and efficient.

Requiring no drops or specialized training IOP measurement is quick and easy for screening programs. Since single-use probes are used for measurement, there is no risk of contamination.

The device does not need any calibration, which means eye care professionals can concentrate on taking readings—not on the device’s settings between eyes or between patients.

The tonometer assesses the deceleration and rebound time of a small, lightweight probe, which makes brief contact with the cornea and can be used without local anaesthesia. There is no patient hesitation when the iCare tonometer is used on the second eye.

Owing to rebound technology, the use of an iCare tonometer does not create micro aerosol formations, because measuring requires no disinfection, anaesthesia, drops, air, or other preparation.

iCare probes are accessories of iCare tonometers. Because the probes are single-use and individually packed, measuring of IOP is secure from microbiological cross-contamination and infectious transmissions. The probes are disposable and must be changed for each patient, but can be used for both eyes assuming there is no eye infection.

The probes are designed for single patient use only, and they should not be cleaned or re-used. Multiple-use of the probe can cause cross-contamination. Cleaning or mishandling the probe can bring damage and shorten the lifetime of the device as well as affect the measurement result.

The iCare probes are very easy to insert and remove from the probe base. The probes are supplied in individual protective probe tubes. After removing the probe from the tube, the probe is placed in the tonometer and allowed to slide down to the probe base. The tonometer automatically magnetizes and holds the probe in place.

The tonometer is switched on by pressing the ‘measurement’ button or ‘main’ button depending on the version of the iCare tonometer. A new single-patient use probe is inserted into the probe base and the button is pressed again to activate the probe.

The person is positioned appropriately, in most cases sitting, the person looks straight ahead and the tonometer is brought close to the eye with the probe perpendicular to the centre of the cornea. The forehead support should be positioned against the forehead. The distance between the tip of the probe and the cornea should be about 3-8 mm depending on which ICare model is being used. The person taking the measurements can move the forehead support by turning the adjustment wheel to ensure the probe is correctly positioned.

The IOP reading is based on six individual readings and one measurement sequence takes two seconds. The user must press the ‘measurement’ button to perform one individual IOP measurement. Some models have a ‘series’ mode, in which the user only needs to press the ‘measurement’ button once and keep the button pressed down to activate six automatic measurements.

Each device calculates the final IOP measurement by discarding the highest and lowest readings and displaying the average of the remaining four readings. The probe moves to the cornea and back during every measurement and a short beep sounds after each measurement has been taken. Most iCare devices show results and reliability on the display.