Retinal Imaging
Your retina at the back of your eye can tell us a lot about your eye health, which is why we incorporate retinal imaging as part of your comprehensive eye exam.
Retinal Imaging explained
Traditionally, optometrists use a tool called an ophthalmoscope to examine the back of your eye, however by investing in state-of-the-art digital retinal imaging technology, we have been able to provide our patients with a much more detailed view of their eye health.
Retinal imaging is a non-invasive process, during which all you have to do is sit with your head on the machine’s chin rest and look into the camera. Thanks to this advanced equipment’s 100 kHz scanning speed, we’ll have the photos taken within a few minutes.
What does the image show?
Retinal imaging produces a coloured image of your eye that shows your retina, where your optic nerve is connected to your eye, and the blood vessels. These digital images are available to view instantly, so our optometrist will be able to talk you through their findings during your appointment.
Detecting and tracking eye diseases with retinal imaging
Retinal imaging enables us to check your eyes for signs of sight-threatening eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes, and age-related macular degeneration. It is important for us to be able to detect and diagnose these conditions in the early stages when they are most treatable or manageable.
Retinal imaging can also reveal signs of other diseases including heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. This is because the retina is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be viewed directly.
The images taken will be stored on your records and the next time you have an eye exam; your optometrist will be able to compare the old image to the new one to monitor any changes that could indicate a potential problem.
This advanced imaging technology can also be used to carry out an OCT scan if required, which allows us to go even deeper under the surface to get a full picture of your eye health and compare the two scans side by side. You can find out more about our OCT scan here.
