Zeiss Cirrus Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
Optical coherence tomography produces very high-resolution cross-sectional images of the retina, optic nerve, and cornea. OCT works much the same way as ultrasound, except that it uses light instead of sound waves to create the images. It does not require any contact with the tissue being imaged, meaning that nothing touches your eye. OCT is tremendously useful for diagnosing and monitoring many eye diseases, including macular degeneration, glaucoma, macular edema, macular hole, and epiretinal membrane.
Optos P200C Wide-field Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope
The Optos P200C ultra wide-field scanning laser ophthalmoscope captures high resolution digital images of up to 82% of the retina in about one quarter of a second. This instrument uses low-powered red and green lasers to scan the different layers of the retina, and then assembles the scans into a composite image for the doctors to view. Images from previous visits can easily be viewed beside the current image in order to look for changes inside your eyes. Optos images (known as “Optomaps”) are useful in diagnosing and following almost any eye condition that affects the retina, such as retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein or artery occlusion, choroidal nevus, and many others.
Canon CR-1 Mark II Digital Retinal Camera
Canon’s digital retinal cameras benefit from the company’s wealth of experience in photography. Rather than ultra wide-field images like Optos’s, the Canon retinal camera zooms in on the optic nerve and macula to produce incredible close-up photos of these two important areas at the back of the eye. These photographs are helpful in following patients with diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration. They are also relatively easy to obtain on children, and we often use them to look inside the eyes of even very young kids who may have trouble sitting still.
Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer
The Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer is the gold standard for assessing peripheral vision. This instrument is critically important in testing patients for glaucoma, but it can also detect vision loss from a wide range of other conditions ranging from stroke to medication toxicity. We often use it to verify that patients have enough peripheral vision to be able to drive safely.
Welch Allyn Spot Vision Screener
The Spot Screener is a hand-held instrument that estimates prescription and checks for eye misalignment in patients age 6 months and up. It screens both eyes at once in a matter of seconds from a distance of one meter away, meaning there is no need to put your face close to the instrument and hold still. It is great for squirmy young kids, patients with sensory issues such as autism, and people in wheelchairs.