OCT Eye Scan
OCT, or Ocular Coherence Tomography, is new technology which helps your optician diagnose potential problems with your eyes.
Using OCT, your Optician at Benjamins can see beneath the surface of the back of your eyes where problems may manifest – sometimes years before they surface – it’s only then that problems may show up with a traditional photograph of the back of your eyes. OCT is a bit like being able to see into the future…the future health of your eyes.
Benjamin Opticians are proud to offer you the very latest technology with our brand new swept source OCT – the only one in the area. This looks even deeper in to the back of your eye to give our opticians even greater foresight in to potential problems.
OCT combines the traditional retinal photograph, sometimes called a Fundus picture, with a deep scan beneath the surface using a harmless light beam – very similar in concept to how an ultrasound scan works – but using light instead of sound. This scan then shows up instantly as a three-dimensional image on a computer screen. Our trained optician can then interpret these images to identify any existing or impending problem under the surface of the back of your eyes. As part of your regular eye examination, a 3D OCT scan gives you piece of mind that all is fine with your sight for the foreseeable future. If any underlying problems have been identified these can be managed accordingly or referred to a specialist for treatment.
An OCT scan allows us to diagnose a number of common eye conditions, not visible with the traditional Fundus camera. As part of regular checks in healthy eyes OCT can detect even the slightest changes to your retina. This creates an invaluable record of the heath and condition of your eyes over time.
We recommend OCT particularly to patients who have a family history of eye problems, to the over 40’s where age related problems can start to occur; anyone with poor health or unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, to any patient who wants that peace of mind.
Easy steps to OCT
1: Book an eye examination with your Optometrist at Benjamins, asking for OCT
2: One of our qualified team will scan your eyes using our state of the art 3D OCT camera, just a few minutes before your sight test
3: The high-resolution 3D images appear on the computer screen and are examined by the Optometrist
4: The results are presented to you and discussed
What can an OCT scan detect?
Age-related macular degeneration
Macular degeneration causes the gradual breakdown of the macular (the central portion of the eye). OCT can identify this condition and its type (there are two types, wet and dry) and monitor its progress, if you are undergoing treatment for such a condition. Unfortunately the risk of developing macular degeneration increases with age. It is the most common cause of vision loss in individuals over the age of fifty.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye. Recent statistics suggest that some form of glaucoma affects around two in every 100 people over the age of 40 and if you have a family history of glaucoma in one parent, the risk increases by 40%. The danger with chronic glaucoma is that there is no pain and your eyesight will seem to be unchanged, but your vision is being damaged. An OCT examination will confirm if you are at risk, or indeed what stage of glaucoma you may have.
Macular holes
A macular hole is a small hole in the macular – the part of the retina which is responsible for our sharp, detailed, central vision. This is the vision we use when we are looking directly at things, when reading, sewing or using a computer. There are many causes of macular holes. One is caused by vitreous detachment, when the vitreous pulls away from the back of the eye. Sometimes it does not ‘let go’ and eventually tears the retina, leaving a hole. Extreme exposure to sunlight (for example staring at the sun during an eclipse) can also cause a macular hole to develop.
Diabetes
Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of visual impairment among adults. Here in the UK, more than two million people have been identified as having diabetes. OCT examination enables early detection, which greatly improves the success rate of treatment.
Vitreous detachments
Vitreomacular traction can clearly be diagnosed through OCT providing invaluable information about the current relationship between the vitreous and the retinal surface of the eye. As we get older, the vitreous jelly-like substance that helps the eye maintain its shape slowly shrinks. It becomes less firm and can move away from the back of the eye towards the centre, in some cases parts do not detach and cause ‘pulling’ of the retinal surface and cause symptoms like flashing lights and an increase in floaters. Often it will detach without causing any damage to the retina, but sometimes will cause a macular hole or retinal detachment. The danger of a vitreous detachment is that there is no pain and your eyesight will seem unchanged but the back of your eye may be being damaged. OCT can provide invaluable information about the relationship between the vitreous and the retina.
3D OCT Eye Scanning at Benjamin Opticians
