Technology

Up to date technology

DIGITAL RETINAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Here is a summary of the benefits of Digital Retinal Photography:

A scan to confirm a healthy eye or detect the presence of disease.

An overview or map of the retina, giving your Optometrist a more detailed view than they can achieve by other means.

The opportunity for you to view and discuss the images of your eye with your Optometrist at the time of your examination.

 There is no need to wait for results, our digital camera gives us the images within seconds for review. By looking at digital photos from previous years, your doctor can look for changes over time and determine if more aggressive treatments are necessary.

We recommend that all our patients receive this test. It is especially important for patients with a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, retinal diseases, flashes of light, floaters, headaches and those with a strong glasses prescription.

 OPTICAL COHERANCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT)

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive diagnostic instrument used for imaging the retina.  It has the ability to detect problems in the eye prior to any symptoms being present in the patient. With an OCT, Optometrists are able to see a cross section or 3D image of the retina and detect the early onset of a variety of eye conditions and eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy (the top three diseases known to cause blindness).

Some eye disorders cannot be visualised with the naked eye. The normal viewing or photography that takes place during a comprehensive eye examination does not show what’s happening under the surface. To see what’s really going on, we can use Optical Coherence Tomography. It allows us to image the underlying layers of the eye in a non-invasive way. This is invaluable for picking up problems with the retina and macula as well as diagnosing and monitoring the progress of progressive diseases such as glaucoma. It is safe to use as often as you like without risk to the eye’s delicate tissues.

The OCT allows for detection of other diseases such as macular holes, hypertensive retinopathy and even optic nerve damage. Using an OCT allows for early treatment in patients and dramatically improves the success of these treatments, especially in diseases such as wet macular degeneration – where the eye disease progresses rapidly.

The OCT has become the standard of care for the assessment and treatment of most retinal diseases, Optometrists can determine which retinal disease or eye condition exists in the eye, even before the patient is aware of any problems. 

CORNEAL TOPOGRAPHY

Corneal topography is a process for mapping the surface curvature of the cornea, similar to making a contour map of land. The cornea is a clear membrane that covers the front of the eye (See Anatomy of the Eye) and is responsible for about 70 percent of the eye’s focusing power.

To a large extent, the shape of the cornea determines the visual ability of an otherwise healthy eye. A perfect eye has an evenly rounded cornea, but if the cornea is too flat, too steep, or unevenly curved, less than perfect vision results.

The purpose of corneal topography is to produce a detailed description of the shape and power of the cornea. Using computerized imaging technology, the 3-dimensional map produced by the corneal topographer aids the Optometrist in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of various visual conditions.

AUTOMATED PERIMETRY

Many eye and brain disorders can cause peripheral vision loss and other visual field abnormalities. Visual field tests are performed by eye care professionals to detect blind spots (scotomas) and other visual field defects, which can be an early sign of these problems.

The size and shape of a scotoma offer important clues about the presence and severity of diseases of the eye, optic nerve and visual structures in the brain. For example, optic nerve damage caused by glaucoma creates a very specific visual field defect.

Other conditions associated with blind spots and other visual field defects include diseases of the retina, optic neuropathy, brain tumors and stroke.

During a routine eye exam, your optometrist may recommend visual field testing to assess the full horizontal and vertical range and sensitivity of your vision. These “baseline” visual field test results can then be used to assess potential changes in your visual field in the future.

The Humphrey Field Analyzer is a diagnostic tool used to examine a patient’s visual field. The Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) is the recognized gold standard of care for early diagnosis and management of ocular diseases resulting in visual field loss.

Why we’ve invested in the Humphrey Field Analyzer …

Diagnostic Precision
the HFA has been shown to be extremely accurate.

Early Glaucoma Detection
this technology has been shown to provide earlier detection of vision loss due to glaucoma.

Quickness
the HFA measures visual fields in as little as two minutes.

Range of Diagnostic tests available
The HFA offers ALL field screening strategies available including Esterman Binocular screening required for drivers licence assessments.