The optical probe in tonometers is a key component in measuring the flattened diameter or area of the ocular cornea. A new kind of optical probe for the direct measurement of the flattened area of the ocular cornea is presented. The optical probe uses the cone prism with a modulating flake of light intensity as its measuring body. The test results on simulated eyeballs with different radii of curvature of the ocular cornea show that there is a linear relation between the flattened area of the ocular cornea and the normalized current. The optical probe, which is more compact compared with existing optical probes and easily configured with its coaxiality of optical parts, may be an excellent probe for constructing a low-cost, miniaturized applanation tonometer.