What Is Retinal Imaging & What Can It Detect? | San Diego

There&#;s more to your eyes than you can see, and the internal structures are at just as much risk of disease and damage as the surface. Fortunately, your optometrist can use modern diagnostic technology to examine your eyes from inside to out.

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Retinal imaging allows your optometrist to view the back of your eyes, looking for signs of eye disease and other conditions that can affect your general health.

How Does Retinal Imaging Work?

The retina is a layer of light-sensitive cells that line the back of your eye. When light passes through the cornea and lens, it focuses on the retina, which sends information through the optic nerve to the brain. This information is then processed to produce a clear view of the world.

Retinal imaging uses special cameras, such as Optomap imaging, to take digital pictures of the back of your eye. These pictures show the retina, the optic disk where the optic nerve connects, and the macula. Most importantly, it allows your optometrist to observe blood vessels.

The process of taking a picture is quick and comfortable. During the process, you&#;ll look into the Optomap device, but nothing will touch your eye. The most you should experience is a brief flash as an image is taken. This means retinal imaging is suitable for the whole family, including children.

How Often Should I Have Retinal Imaging Done?

Typically, your optometrist can take a retinal image without any prep, so it can be part of your regular eye exam to monitor your changing eye health. In some rare cases, you may need to take eye drops to dilate your pupils, but this depends on other health conditions, and your optometrist typically lets you know ahead of time, allowing you to prepare for a ride home. 

The American Optometric Association recommends the following schedule for comprehensive eye exams:

• 6&#;12 months of age: 1 exam
• 3&#;5 years: At least 1 exam
• 6&#;17 years: Annual exams
• 18&#;64 years: At least every 2 years
• 65+ years: Annual exams

Depending on optometrist recommendations based on your eye health, you may need more frequent checkups.

What Is Retinal Imaging Used For?

One of the main benefits of retinal imaging is it gives a clear view of the blood vessels in your eyes. In fact, the retina is the only place where a doctor can see blood vessels directly. And since Optomap Imaging shows up to 82% of your retina, your optometrist can detect signs of disease that extend to your entire body.

Macular Degeneration

The macula sits in the center of your retina and is responsible for seeing the detail of objects right in front of you. This is invaluable for driving or recognizing faces and written text.

Your blood vessels can thin and leak as you age, which can lead to dry macular degeneration&#;the most common form of the disease. Or, abnormal blood vessels could grow under your retina and cause wet macular degeneration.

Retinal imaging allows your optometrist to diagnose the signs early and slow its progression before it leads to significant vision loss.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma typically happens when fluid builds up in your eyes and puts pressure on your optic nerve, damaging it. 

Retinal imaging shows your eye doctor the optic disk, where the optic nerve connects to the retina and the blood vessels converge.

Diabetes

Though diabetes is mainly known for how it affects the way your body uses blood sugar, it can also damage the thin blood vessels in your eyes. In some cases, the eyes show the first signs of diabetes.

Other Health Conditions

By inspecting the blood vessels that can only be seen in the retina, your optometrist can look for early warning signs of other health conditions, such as: 

• Strokes
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular diseases

Retinal imaging can be a go-to test if your vision is getting worse and you don&#;t know why.

Advanced Eye Care in Your Neighborhood

Detecting signs of eye disease early gives you a leg up when planning care. By being proactive, you can slow these life-changing conditions before they begin to affect your vision.

Total Vision Del Mar is proud to use Optomap retinal imaging to get a comprehensive view of your retina. Optomap is just one of the tools in our kit to find solutions for your eye and vision concerns.

The company is the world’s best Laser Retinal Imaging supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Book an appointment with us for your next eye exam and see all that we have to offer!

In all of our Eye Trends eye care centers, we are deeply committed to serving you with the most advanced eye care technology available. To that end, we&#;re proud to include the cutting-edge Optomap Laser Retinal Scan as an integral part of your comprehensive eye exam. Visit us to benefit from high-tech, detailed eye exams near you!

What is the Optomap laser retinal test?

This digital retinal scanner uses the highly advanced Optos laser technology to produce an ultra-widefield image of your retina. Only the Optomap laser retina scan can capture 82% of your retina at once! In contrast, traditional imaging techniques display only 15% of your retina at one time.

What does the Optomap check, and why is it so important?

Your retina, which is at the back of your eye, is the only place in your body that enables a direct view of blood vessels. So by inspecting your retina during an eye exam, your eye doctor is able to see the signs of eye disease &#; as well as the signs of other health problems, such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

In fact, an indication of these health conditions can appear on your retina long before you experience any other vision or health symptoms. The Optomap allows your eye doctor to detect the early signs of disease in the periphery of your retina, which does not generally show up when using older, traditional imaging technology.

In sum, while a comprehensive eye exam typically includes checking the front of your eye to assess any vision and eye health changes, the Optomap laser retinal scan takes eye exams much further.

What happens during an Optomap eye exam retinal scan?

The process of this laser eye test is quick and painless! Nothing makes contact with your eye at any point of the scan. Once you are seated comfortably, your eye doctor will instruct you to simply look into the digital retinal scanner device one eye at a time. (You&#;ll feel like you are peering into a keyhole.) Then, you&#;ll see a flash of light. That&#;s it.

Capturing the image takes less than a half-second, and the results can be viewed immediately.

Is dilation necessary for taking an Optomap image?

Typically, dilation drops are not required. However, depending on the health condition of your eyes, your eye doctor will decide whether or not to apply dilating eye drops. The choice to dilate must be made on a case-by-case basis by a professional eye doctor.

Why choose Optomap vs. dilation?

In Optomap retinal scan reviews, comfort and efficiency are the main reasons why patients prefer an eye exam with a laser eye test instead of the application of dilating eye drops. You won&#;t need to suffer the sting of dilation, and you can even drive home afterward in bright daylight!

Is Optomap safe?

Yes, it is regarded as totally safe. The Optomap uses a non-invasive, low-intensity laser eye scan to generate high-resolution, panoramic images. According to reports from Optos, over 65 million sessions have been performed &#; and no adverse health effects have been experienced. Not only is Optomap considered safe for adults, but it&#;s also completely safe for children too.

What are the pros and cons of the Optomap laser eye scan?

The benefits of including the Optomap laser eye test in an eye exam by your doctor are:

• Early detection of retinal disease, which enables early treatment and protection against vision loss or complications
• Early detection of life-threatening diseases, such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer
• Diabetic screening &#; retinal eye scans can spot early signs of eye damage caused by diabetes, even before you notice any other symptoms
• Optomap images are recorded and saved by your eye doctor, allowing for yearly comparisons at every eye exam. Your eye doctor can track changes to your retinal health &#; before they are serious or damaging.
• Wider internal view of the retina than other digital imaging technologies, which allows detection of many diseases that usually present on the edges of the retina
• Fast, easy, comfortable, and safe

Some disadvantages of the Optomap include:

• If you have diabetes, a comprehensive dilated eye exam is regarded as the standard of care. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AA) and the American Optometric Association (AOA) still recommend that people with diabetes undergo dilation at least annually. (Note- the Optomap can be very useful for diabetic screening.)
• Laser retinal imaging cannot always detect a disease in which there is retinal bleeding.
• The Optomap cost is not expensive, however, it is not covered by vision insurance. It may be covered by your medical insurance plan though, depending on the terms of your policy and the reasons for the test.

Read What People are Saying: Optomap Retinal Exam Reviews

&#;I was at my eye doctor for a routine eye exam, I had no complaints or symptoms of a problem. But the Optomap showed that I had hemorrhaging in my eye! I immediately booked an appointment with a cardiologist, who diagnosed cardiovascular disease. The digital eye exam was well worth it, it saved my life &#; literally!&#;, said Steve, age 46.

&#;I had been seeing sudden flashes, so I booked an urgent appointment with my eye doctor. When she told me about the Optos laser eye test, I was skeptical. Digital imaging of my eye &#; was this real? I decided to try it out. The Optomap showed that I was having a retinal detachment. My optometrist sent the digital images immediately to a retinal specialist, and I was in surgery within a few hours! My vision was saved, and now I&#;m the biggest advocate of digital eye tests!&#; said Reese, age 51

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Retinal Camera. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Experience the efficiency of digital retinal scanners for yourself! Visit Eye Trends for advanced eye exams near you &#; with Optomap!