266 Medical Terminology: Mastering the Basics eye until it makes very light contact with the cornea, where it records a pres- sure reading. Another form of tonometric testing is a noncontact method that uses a puff of air to record eye pressure. A tiny device barely touches the out- side of the eye and instantly records eye pressure by analyzing how the light reflections change as the air strikes the eye. The Ear In this section, you will learn about some common diagnostic technologies and treatment methods related to the special sensory organ of hearing and balance. Audiometry An audiometry exam is a hearing test that measures a person’s abil- ity to hear different sounds, pitches, and frequencies (Figure 6.12). Sounds vary based on their intensity (loudness) and tone (the speed of sound-wave vibrations). Hearing occurs when sound waves stimulate the nerves of the inner ear and then travel along neural pathways to the brain, where they are interpreted. During an audiometry test, the patient wears headphones that cover both ears to eliminate outside noise. The headphones are connected to an audiometer (AW-dē-ŎM-ĕ-ter) that produces a series of tones at different frequencies (high or low pitches) and varying intensities (loud or soft). The patient presses a but- ton or raises a hand to indicate when a tone is heard. Audiometry measures the ability of the patient to discriminate between different sound intensities, Maica/istockphoto.com Figure 6.12 Audiometry