How Retinal Imaging Works and Why It's Important

29 Apr.,2024

 

How Retinal Imaging Works and Why It's Important

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The next time you go for your annual eye checkup, chances are your eye doctor will recommend retinal imaging. This is an additional eye exam that many ophthalmologists are now carrying out. This helps improve the detailed eye exam.


Adding retinal imaging to your eye test may be necessary if you have some conditions. These conditions include diabetes, glaucoma, or age-related macular degeneration. But even if you do not have these eye conditions, retinal imaging can detect severe eye illnesses early and help you protect your vision.

What Is Retinal Imaging?

Retinal imaging or a retinal photograph is a surgery-free and totally safe technique of taking pictures of the back of your eye or retina. The technique allows your eye doctor to have a closer look at your retina, blood vessels, and optic nerve.


There are a few different types of retinal imaging that your eye doctor can use to examine your eye. They include optical coherence tomography (OCT), angiography, and fundus photography. Each of these methods has precise benefits to detecting certain problems in your eye. Your eye doctor will determine the best technique for your specific condition.

How Does Retinal Imaging Work?

Retinal imaging uses low-power lasers to take digital pictures of your retina. The light produced by the lasers goes onto your eye through the pupil. As the light passes through to the retina, it leaves images that are collected by a machine, creating a detailed picture of the retina.


Your eye doctor then looks at these pictures to check what information your retina is revealing about the health of your eye, body, and brain.

Why Is It Important?

Clearer images of the retina make it easier for your ophthalmologist to teach you about your eye health and wellness. You can look at the retinal pictures together and your doctor can identify the different parts of the retina. Then he or she will explain the eye conditions that the pictures reveal and suggest suitable treatment options.


Retinal imaging can reveal the following eye conditions.
 

  • Diabetic retinopathy – Diabetes can hurt the blood vessels in your retina and cause vision loss if not treated.

  • Glaucoma – This condition causes a buildup of fluid that can damage your optic nerve and cause irreversible vision loss.

  • Age-macular degeneration – This illness that comes with age can cause blood or fluid to leak into your retina and make your vision blurry.

  • Cancer – A dark spot in your retina may indicate a melanoma. Melanoma can grow inside your retina without being detected. If detected early, the melanoma can be treated before it causes severe damage and spread to other parts of the body. 

  • Retinal detachment – Retinas can withdraw from the wall of your eye and cause permanent loss of vision if not treated properly.

  • High blood pressure – Symptoms of high blood pressure usually appear first in the retina. Signs can include thinning of the retinal blood vessels, spots, or bleeding in the retina.


For more on how retinal imaging works and why it is important, visit Brandon Eyes at our offices in Middleton or Madison, Wisconsin. You can call (608) 833-7256 or tel:6088330301(608) 833-0301 today to book an appointment.

Why Is Retinal Imaging Necessary?

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These days, many eye care specialists offer retinal imaging, but most people are not sure if the service is necessary for them. Well, chances are that you may not need retinal imaging, but the test provides another way to examine your eye health in a more detailed way.

 

Retinal imaging can be helpful if you are at high risk for retinal illnesses. Your eye doctor may recommend the test if you have diabetes, retinal toxicity, macular degeneration, or glaucoma. Please note that the test is not a substitute for a regular eye checkup. It allows a broader and more accurate look at your retina to detect eye diseases early.

 

What Is Retinal Imaging?


 

Retinal imaging is a painless diagnostic exam that uses a high-resolution camera to take colored pictures of the back of your eye. The pictures give your doctor a closer look at the inner parts of your eye and help them take note of changes to your eye health and vision. Your optometrist can use optical coherence tomography (OCT), angiography, or fundus photography techniques to examine your eye.

 

Why Is Retinal Imaging Necessary?


 

Pictures of the back of your eye will show your retina, blood vessels, and optic nerve. The images let your eye doctor detect certain eye or health issues and treat them early to prevent them from becoming severe. Retinal imaging is non-invasive and appropriate for all ages. Here is why the test is necessary.

 

The Early Symptoms of Most Eye Conditions Appear in the Retina


 

With retinal imaging, your doctor can see symptoms of eye conditions that could not be detected before. Eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age macular degeneration, and detached retina can be detected with retinal imaging.

 

All these eye illnesses need quick medical care to prevent vision loss. Moreover, retinal imaging is a computerized procedure. This means that any retina-related diseases are automatically examined, diagnosed, and saved by a computer. This leaves little room for human error.

 

Many Health Conditions Are First Detected in the Retina


 

Signs of high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, and some forms of cancer are first evident in the retina. This is well before other signs appear throughout the body. Detecting such health issues early is vital in treating them. This retinal imaging can mean the difference between a fast and easy solution and a more widespread, problematic treatment.

 

Saves Results for Future Assessments


 

Retinal imaging uses a computer to examine, diagnose, and store the results of your test. This enables your eye doctor to compare your test results every year during your annual eye exam. This aspect of retinal imaging is important in monitoring treatment outcomes. It also tracks the progress of diseases and notices any irregularities quickly.

 

Is the Test Necessary?


 

There is no good reason to avoid taking the test during your annual comprehensive eye checkups. Retinal imaging is fast and painless, and its benefits outweigh its costs. Think of it as your first line of defense against numerous different threats to your health.



 

For more on retinal imaging, contact Sacramento Eye Consultants at our office in Sacramento or Lincoln, California. You can call (916) 915-0300 today to schedule an appointment.

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