Abstract: A disposable protective cover (100) for application to an applanation tonometer head (20) of a Goldmann-type applanation tonometer (10). The disposable protective cover (100) may be bag like in contour or preferably pre-formed into a frusto-conical contour having a planar surface (102) bounded by a conical surface (104) which substantially matches the planar surface (22) and the conical surface (24) of applanation tonometer head (20). Disposable protective cover (100) includes at least one tab member (130) for use in handling tonometer cover (100) during application and removal therefrom. Protective cover (100) in general and the planar surface (102) in particular must fit tightly to applanation head (20), be optically transparent, and sufficiently thin so as not to interfere with the tonometer measurement. Protective cover (100) is releasably secured to applanation head (20) by a double-backed removable adhesive strip (140) which is located on the conical surface (24) of applanation tonometer head (20).