Ocular Coherence Tomography Screening
OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomography) is an advanced eye scan for people of all ages. OCT uses light to illustrate the different layers that make up the back of the eye. The OCT machine captures both a fundus photograph and a cross-sectional scan of the back of the eye at the same time.
The scientific stuff!
Using a Topcon state of the art 3D OCT camera, your optometrist will take both a digital photograph and a three dimensional cross sectional scan of the back of the eye in one sitting. This allows us to instantly identify a number of common conditions. The scan is non-invasive, painless, simple and quick.
What's more, the software can automatically detect even the most subtle changes to the retina with every eye test you take. This gives you an invaluable ongoing record of the health and condition of your eyes.
What does OCT cost?
There is an additional charge for the OCT scan, but the benefits are obvious. So you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your eyes are in great condition.
Common conditions identified through regular OCT screening
Macular holes
A macular hole is a small hole in the macula — 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 the 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 and sometimes 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.
Age-related macular degeneration
Macular degeneration causes the gradual breakdown of the macula (the central portion of the eye). OCT cannot only identify this condition and its type (there are two types, wet and dry) but also monitor its progress, for example if you are undergoing ongoing treatment for such a condition. Unfortunately the risk of developing macular degeneration increases with age, and it has been identified as a common cause of vision loss in a majority of individuals over the age of fifty.
Vitreous detachments
Vitreomacular traction can clearly be identified through OCT, providing invaluable information about the current relationship between the vitreous and the retinal surface of the eye. As people get older the vitreous jelly that takes up the space in our eyeball can change — 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. 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 progressively becoming damaged.
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 of treatment.
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. 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.
What to expect
Having an eye scan is relatively simple and known to be non-invasive. To arrange to have one, we have put together a helpful process as shown below.
- Step 1
Book an appointment with your optometrist.
- Step 2
The optometrist will scan your eyes using the state-of-the-art 3D OCT camera.
- Step 3
The high resolution 3D images are examined by the optometrist using specialist built-in analysis tools.
- Step 4
The results are presented to you.