9 Best Practices to Get More From Your iCare Tonometer

From pre-screening through to diagnosis, every step of a patient’s journey needs to be repeatable and reliable. When workflows become inconsistent, bottlenecks emerge, clinical time is lost, and the quality of care can suffer.

If you’ve already invested in an iCare Tonometer, the next question is whether you’re truly getting the most from it. Even the most advanced technology is only as effective as how well it’s used.

With that in mind, here are the core best practices that make the difference:

Build consistency in your clinic workflow 

Modern clinics are under constant pressure to do more with less time. Patient volumes are increasing. Expectations around speed and experience are higher. At the same time, clinical standards cannot slip.

Tonometry often sits at the intersection of these pressures. Done well, it supports fast, reliable decision-making. Done inconsistently, it can become a source of delay. 

Ultimately, we need to remove these inefficiencies without compromising accuracy.

Standardise your workflow from the outset

One of the most common inefficiencies in clinic settings is variability. When tonometry is performed ad hoc, outcomes become inconsistent. Some patients are measured early, others later, and responsibility can shift between team members. Standardisation solves this.

Make pressure measurement a fixed point in the patient journey. Define exactly when it happens and who performs it. In many settings, integrating iCare Tonometry into pre-screening can significantly reduce clinician bottlenecks later in the consultation. Consistency at this stage creates clarity across the entire clinic.

Train all relevant staff 

A common mistake is limiting device use to a small number of highly trained individuals. While expertise matters, over-restriction creates unnecessary delays.

The iCare Tonometer is designed to be straightforward, but repeatable accuracy still depends on consistent technique. That means training should extend to all relevant staff, including support roles where appropriate.

This approach does two things: Improves patient flow by increasing flexibility and reduces variability by reinforcing a standardised method of measurement.

Improve accuracy through better patient comfort

Comfort directly affects measurement quality. Traditional contact methods can introduce hesitation or anxiety, particularly in children, elderly patients or those sensitive to ocular procedures.

By minimising perceived invasiveness, devices like the iCare Tonometer allow measurements to be taken quickly and with minimal discomfort.

More relaxed patients are easier to measure. More importantly, they are more likely to produce reliable readings.

Maintain hygiene protocols 

Efficiency should never come at the expense of infection control. Single-use probes are exactly that: single-use. Reusing them across patients introduces unnecessary and avoidable risk.

Clear, repeatable hygiene protocols should be embedded into daily workflow. This includes:

• Safe disposal of probes after every measurement 
• Routine cleaning of device contact points 
• Disinfection of surrounding equipment, such as headrests 

Regular calibration and servicing 

One of the advantages of the iCare Tonometer is that it does not require manual calibration in the same way as Goldmann applanation tonometry. Manual calibration introduces the risk of consistent human error.

While this removes a significant source of user error, your device will still require expert attention. All clinical instruments benefit from routine verification. Over time, wear, environmental factors and general usage can affect performance.

Implementing an annual servicing schedule ensures that your device continues to operate within specification. This is where working with a partner makes a difference. 

At Mainline Instruments, we provide essential inspection, verification and servicing support, helping clinics maintain confidence in their measurements without disrupting daily operations.

Stay ahead of consumables and power management

Even small oversights can create disproportionate disruption. Running out of probes mid-clinic, or dealing with preventable battery failure, introduces unnecessary delays that ripple through the day.

Through simple planning, this can be avoided. Maintain adequate stock levels of single-use probes and reorder well in advance. Use high-quality batteries and keep spares available to prevent downtime. These are not complex changes, but they have a direct impact on clinic efficiency.

Use iCare where it delivers the most value

Not all patients, or environments, are suited to traditional slit lamp-based tonometry, which is where rebound tonometry becomes particularly valuable.

The iCare Tonometer is especially effective in:

• Paediatric assessments 
• Elderly or less mobile patients 
• Individuals unable to position at a slit lamp 
• Domiciliary and care home visits 
• Multi-room or outreach clinic setups 

Portable models allow clinicians to move between environments. For example, the iCare HOME2 Tonometer can be sent home with patients to monitor eye pressure, while the iCare IC200 Tonometer supports measurements in reclined or supine positions. Used strategically, this flexibility can enable entirely new efficiencies in how and where care is delivered.

Maintain basic device care and handling 

Device downtime can disrupt your entire clinical schedule. Basic handling practices go a long way:

• Use wrist straps or lanyards where provided 
• Store devices securely in the iCare case provided between uses 
• Transport carefully between rooms or sites 
• Follow daily cleaning routines 

Preventing avoidable damage is one of the simplest ways to maintain continuity.

Turning your iCare Tonometer into a consistent clinical asset

The real value of an iCare Tonometer comes from how well it is integrated into your workflow and how effectively it is maintained over time.

Clinics that take a structured approach (standardising processes, training teams, maintaining hygiene and committing to regular servicing) see the difference not just in efficiency, but in clinical confidence.

With the right support from Mainline Instruments, you can ensure your equipment continues to perform exactly as expected. If you’d like to arrange servicing or discuss best practices, our team is ready to help:

Speak to our specialists