Haag-Streit applanation tonometer

Historical Significance: In applanation tonometry intraocular pressure (IOP) is inferred from the force required to flatten (applanate) a constant area of the cornea, in accordance with the Imbert-Fick law. The Maklakoff tonometer was an early example of this method, while the Goldmann tonometer became the most widely used version in the 1960s to 1980s and was regarded as the gold standard for measuring IOP. USA patent 3070997 for an Apparatus for measuring the intraocular or tonometric pressure of an eye is dated January 1 1963 (Filing date Apr 4 1958) and lists Franz Papritz, Hans Goldmann and Theodor Schmidt as inventors and Haag-Streit as the original assignee with a cross reference to a German patent DE 1113285 B filed March 31 1958. Hans Goldmann (1899 - 1991, born Bohemia) was an Austrian-Swiss ophthalmologist and inventor. Goldmann was especially interested in the optics, physics, and development of ophthalmic instruments. He improved and developed in collaboration with Haag-Streit AG several ophthalmic instruments, including its slit lamp, the Goldmann's perimeter (a 1945 development), this Goldmann's tonometer, Goldmann's indirect goniolens and Goldmann-Weekers Dark Adaptometer. He was the author of more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals. At the eye clinic of the University of Bern there is a Hans-Goldmann-Stiftung (Foundation) for orthoptics. His name is attached to Goldmann-Favre syndrome