We are excited to announce that in July, we installed the OPTOS Daytona Optomap laser scanning retinal imaging device at both our two Gold Coast locations in Burleigh Waters and Tweed Heads South. We are now the only eyecare practice on the Southern Gold Coast and Tweed region to have this technology available for the enhanced preventative care of our patients. So, let’s go over some basics about what is so great about the OPTOS device and why it enables us to offer preventative care far beyond what we have previously had available.
What is the retina and why is it important that it is healthy?
Your retina is the light sensitive nerve tissue that forms a film at the back of the eye which reacts to light and enables us to see. In short, it’s like the film in the camera, and we need a healthy retina to see the world around us. The retina is also the only place in the body where blood vessels can be seen directly. This means that in addition to eye conditions, signs of other diseases (for example, stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes) can also be seen in the retina. Early signs of these conditions can show on your retina long before you notice any changes to your vision or feel pain. While eye exams generally include a look at the front of the eye to evaluate health and prescription changes, a thorough screening of the retina is critical to verify that your eye is healthy. Like all aspects of health, early detection of problems is essential to reduce the risk to your sight and health.
What is an Optomap retinal image?
Early signs of disease can be present in the periphery of your retina and remain undetected for a long time when using traditional examination methods. The optomap ultra-widefield retinal image is a unique technology that captures more than 80% of your retina in a single image while traditional imaging methods typically only show 15% of your retina at one time.
Getting an optomap image is fast, painless, and comfortable. Nothing touches your eye at any time. It is suitable for the whole family. To have the exam, you simply look into the device one eye at a time (like looking through a keyhole) and you will see a flash of light to let you know the image of your retina has been taken.
Under normal circumstances, dilation drops won’t be necessary. The image capture takes less than a half-second and they are available immediately for you to see your own retina. You see exactly what your eye care practitioner sees - even in a 3D animation. The image is also saved to your file to allow future comparison and monitoring for any changes.
Optomap images are created by non-invasive low-intensity scanning lasers. No adverse effects have been reported in over 150 million scans, so we know the technology is very safe and reliable.
Benefits of an Optomap Image
The benefits of having an optomap ultra-widefield retinal image taken are:
- optomap facilitates early protection from vision impairment or blindness
- Early detection of life-threatening diseases like cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease
The unique optomap ultra-widefield view helps your eye care practitioner detect early signs of retinal disease more effectively and efficiently than with traditional eye exams.
Early detection means successful treatments can be administered and reduces the risk to your sight and health.
Already in the first month of use at Envision Optical, we have detected multiple cases of retinal changes that we may have missed without using the optomap scan. We are excited to offer it to every comprehensive eye exam patient. To have your most comprehensive retina evaluation ever, please book your next appointment using the Book Now button or contact us here.