The physical content of Maklakoff's tonometric (based on the loading of the cornea) method of measuring the intraocular pressure, widely used in medical practice, is discussed. For this purpose, we employ both the results of physical modeling of the eye described in the literature and the results of our own mathematical modeling based on the representation of the eyeball as a thin shell. The effect of the physical properties of the shell on the results of the modeling is investigated. Qualitative conclusions that follow from our study and may be of practical interest in measuring the intraocular pressure are discussed.