Jet pump for noncontact tonometry and associated devices, systems, and methods

A method of generating controlled gas puffs, comprising:

• providing a compression chamber, a surge chamber, and a sonic nozzle;
• compressing a gas into the compression chamber until a threshold pressure value is reached;
• opening a valve to release the compressed gas through an aperture into the surge chamber, such that the compressed gas expands at a deterministic rate;
• and
• expelling the expanded gas from the surge chamber through a sonic nozzle such that the expanded gas escapes through the sonic nozzle forms a controlled puff with a rising pressure from a first time to a second time, a peak pressure occurring at the second time, and a falling pressure from the second time to a third time,
• wherein the controlled puff comprises a maximum volumetric flowrate determined based on a throat diameter of the sonic nozzle.

A system for generating controlled air puffs for noncontact tonometry of a human eye, comprising:

• a pump;
• a first container in communication with the pump;
• a first pressure sensor in communication with the first container;
• a second container in communication with the first container;
• a nozzle in communication with the second container, the nozzle comprising a throat having a throat diameter;
• a valve separating the first container and the second container;
• and
• wherein the pump is configured to compress air into the first container until the first pressure sensor detects a threshold pressure, whereupon the valve is switched from a closed position to an open position to allow the air to move from the first container to the second container and escape from the second container through the nozzle.