Many veterinarians are seeking new ways to increase the profitability of their practice as the current recession drags on. One potential source of new revenue is tonometry.
Tonometry is the procedure performed to determine the fluid pressure inside the eye to test for glaucoma. There are important reasons to accurately measure the eye pressure of veterinary patients. Glaucoma is one of the main causes of blindness in animals. The failure to diagnose glaucoma can be disastrous for the animal.
We did a survey of our customers in veterinary medicine and they were charging an average of $30 for glaucoma screening. The investment required to purchase a tonometer to perform glaucoma testing ranges from $2,800 to $3,200. Based on the $30 average charge, performing only ten tests a week would repay your investment in about two months.
The most popular instruments for glaucoma testing are the Tono-Pen Vet, the AccuPen Vet, and the TonoVet. If you don’t own one of these tonometers, you should consider purchasing one.
If you already have a tonometer, you should review your protocols for glaucoma testing and determine whether tonometry could play a larger role in your practice. Routine testing for glaucoma is both good care and good business.