At our Optometry practice, we are always looking to incorporate new technology into our treatment methods. As a result, our office has some of the newest and most advanced technology for eye care in Los Angeles. We not only acquire and master the use of these instruments, but in some cases, we are asked by the manufacturers to train other doctors to use them most effectively. One of the most important pieces of high-tech eye care is the Optos Ultra-Widefield Retinal Imaging system.
Retinal Eye Exams Keep Getting Better
Every good eye exam includes an in-depth look at the back of the eye, called the Retina. This is the surface onto which the light projects after passing through your cornea and lens. Many eye diseases and other more systemic general health conditions can be seen on your retina, which makes a retinal exam so important.
You might be familiar with going to the eye doctor and having your pupils dilated. The dilation is so your Optometrist can have a larger opening through which he can see your retina. The doctor would hold a “Direct Ophthalmoscope” close to his or her eye and use it to peer into your eye, usually putting your faces just two inches apart — a proximity that can feel intimidating. This instrument was invented in 1851 and has been in use since then. The main drawback of the Ophthalmoscope is that it allows your doctor to see a very limited part of your retina, just a 15-degree arc at a time.
You will also find the Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscope (BIO) in many Optometrists’ offices, which accomplishes the same task. This device looks like a “Miner’s Helmet,” which allows the doctor to see more of your retina at once but still requires that the doctor’s face and yours be about 12 inches apart.
The Fundus Retinal Camera allows your doctor to see 30 degrees of your retina at a time. Images are in natural color, and this device, like the others, is still in use today. But none of them allow your eye doctor to see what the Optos Ultrawide Field Imaging system does.
The Optos Ultrawide Field Imaging System
With the Optos, your Optometrist or technician can sit at a comfortable distance from you with a plexiglass shield between the two of you. The Optos image has a full 300-degree view of your retina, which is almost your entire retina. It’s the only real way to see the eye now. With the Optos, we can rotate, magnify and examine any part of the eye in search of systemic conditions or impending vision problems.
Also, because the Optos is digital technology, we can save your retinal images and compare them year over year. That allows us to detect progressive eye diseases and systemic conditions that are nearly impossible to notice with purely analog devices.
Eye Conditions Found by the Optos
One of the most significant benefits of the Optos is its effectiveness in helping us diagnose some serious and progressive eye diseases.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease that causes increased pressure in the eye. The Optos helps us see changes in the optic nerve head, which may indicate the presence of Glaucoma early on.
Macular Degeneration
Macular Degeneration, considered an incurable eye disease, is one of the leading causes of blindness, affecting as many as 10 million people in the USA. The disease is caused by the deterioration of the back, central part of the retina, called the Macula. With the Optos, we can see changes in color and mottling that are early indicators of this disease, allowing us to treat it early.
Retinal Tears or Breaks
If we see red-colored lesions on your retina, it may indicate Retinal Tears or Breaks. There are many varieties of tears and breaks, but we can see them all with the Optos and prescribe proper treatment accordingly.
Ocular Melanoma
Cancer can strike the eye just as it can strike almost any other body part. According to the Ocular Melanoma Foundation, about 2,500 people are diagnosed with this disease every year. It occurs most often in lightly pigmented people with a median age of 55. If undiagnosed, Ocular Melanoma can metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body and can be fatal, making early diagnosis by the Optos so important.
Retinal Artery & Vein Occlusions
Strokes are most common in the brain but can also occur in the eye when blood vessels in the eye are blocked. Vision loss can occur if the nerves in the retina stop receiving Oxygen and other nutrients. The Optos can help us diagnose a current or imminent occlusion (blockage) and help preserve your eyesight.
Systemic Issues Found in the Retina by the Optos
Many systemic conditions are more often found during eye exams than any other kind of exam, making a visit to your Optometrist much more important to your whole body’s health than you might think. Among the conditions most often found by retinal exams with devices like the Optos Ultrawide Field Imaging System are…
Diabetes
Diabetes can appear as hemorrhages in the retina and tissue breakdown. Early detection is essential, especially for the Latino community, which has a higher incidence of diabetes than many other groups.
High Blood Pressure
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be found in the retina and is evidenced by hemorrhages and blood vessels that change shape.
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol shows up as plaque in the vessels, which is easily seen through the Optos.
Papilledema
Brain pressure and tumors can appear in the retina, such as Papilledema, a change in the optic nerve head that connects the brain to the eye.
The Optos Will See You Now
The Optos Ultra-Widefield Retinal Imaging system changes almost everything about how we conduct eye exams and treat our patients year after year. The ability to track tiny changes in the eye over time allows us to catch both eye and systemic diseases early to protect your vision and your life. Make your next eye exam appointment today by calling our office at 818-891-6711 or using our online appointment system.
