An optional extra with your eye exam that we always recommend is the optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan. This 3D scan of your retina can give invaluable insight into your eye health.
What is OCT?
We have invested in the Optopol Revo OCT machine to give our patients the advantage of an advanced retinal scan. OCT is a bit like an ultrasound scan, but instead of using sound waves, it uses light. For the patient, it is as simple as resting your chin and forehead on the supports and looking where the optometrist directs you for a short time while the scan takes place. The laser scans your eye without you feeling anything, instantly producing results for the optometrist to review.
The scan produces a 3D rendering of the retina, anterior structures, and the head of the optic nerve, giving an incredibly detailed view of the layers the eye is made up of. The optometrist can measure these layers and check for any signs of a potential problem. By keeping previous scans on file, the images can be compared, enabling the optometrist to spot even minuscule changes in the eye.
Advantages of OCT
An OCT scan gives us a much clearer view of your eye health than the older retinal photography technology. The scan can detect eye conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment. There are also a whole host of rarer eye problems that can be detected with the scan. The tiny changes in your eye that the scan can pick up means that eye disease can be diagnosed in the early stages when it can be treated most successfully before irreversible damage can be done to your vision.
Who should have an OCT scan?
Anyone can have an OCT scan if they want to have the most advanced eye exam they can. We recommend that you have one if you are new to the practice so that we can keep it on file to compare to in the future. We also particularly recommend OCT to anyone aged over 40, as once you pass this age the risk of developing eye disease increases. If you have been diagnosed with a condition such as glaucoma or diabetes, OCT can be used to keep a close check on your eye health. The results can also be passed on to an ophthalmologist if needed.
OCT can be done as part of your enhanced eye exam and will take an extra 15 minutes or so for the scan and the following consultation. The optometrist will review the results right away and show you what the inside of your eye looks like.
Book an OCT scan today
For peace of mind that your eyes are in good health, contact us or book an enhanced eye exam online.
