Technology

Visual Field Analyzer

The visual field is the total area in which objects can be seen in the peripheral vision while the eye is focused on a central point. Automated perimetry exam – No special preparation is required for this test. The patient sits in front of a concave dome with a light target in the center. The eye that is not being tested is covered. A button is given to the patient to be used during the exam. The patient is set in front of the dome and asked to focus on the target at the center. A computer-driven program then shines small lights at different locations on the inside dome and the patient clicks the button whenever a light is seen. The computer then automatically calculates and maps the patient's visual field. The computer compares the patient's results to age related norms. The pattern of the vision loss can be diagnostic of the cause of vision loss. Abnormal results may indicate glaucoma, or central nervous system problems such as tumors that damage or compress the parts of the brain that deal with vision. Other systemic diseases that may affect the visual field of the eye include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypertension, diseases of the pituitary gland, and multiple sclerosis.

Computerized Corneal Topographer

Used to measure and map the surface of the cornea in precise detail. This instrument helps us design contact lenses specifically to each cornea and to help diagnose early corneal disease. A significant advantage of the corneal topographer is that it can detect conditions too subtle or invisible to even the most thorough conventional testing. Especially useful in diseases such as keratoconus. We can monitor corneal changes and/or corneal stability over time. A few examples of corneal color maps are shown below.

Digital Retinal Imaging / Analyzer

Used to document and analyze the interior structures of the eye. The procedure is very simple and fast and provides us with of useful information about the interior structures of the eye including the retina, the optic nerve and the very small retinal blood vessels which provide oxygen to these very delicate structures. The digital retinal camera produces a high quality colour digital image and displays it on a high resolution monitor. The image presented often detects early changes in the retina and optic nerve. In addition, periodic sequential retinal photos is rapidly becoming the standard of care for monitoring various ocular conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy, and macular degeneration. By performing digital retinal photography, occasionally life threatening conditions can be readily identified such as inflammations of the optic nerve, various ocular and neurological tumors and retinal arteries blocked with plaque (atherosclerotic disease). An additional benefit that this system brings is our ability to e-mail images to other doctors for review when appropriate. An example of a digital retinal image is shown below.

OCT

Optical Coherence Tomography – used to scan the retina and provide precise detail of retinal tissue and pathology. Provides 3D retinal layer segmentation for visualization of pathology. An example image is shown below.

Optomap

The optomap® retinal image gives eye-care professionals a much larger view (200 degrees) of the back of the eye – your retina – than conventional eye exam equipment. The images can be taken without dilating your pupils – a very common procedure which is uncomfortable and inconvenient for many people.

The optomap® provides the practitioner with a digital wide-field of view of the patient's retina which is viewed on-screen by the practitioner in the presence of the patient. As a digital image, an optomap® can be used in telemedicine applications or can be printed to provide documentation for the patient's file.