Testing and Treating Back part of the Eye
We test as well as treat the back part of the eye including the retina. Examination of retina (fundus examination) is an important part of the general eye examination. Dilating the pupil using special eye drops greatly enhances the view and permits an extensive examination of peripheral retina. A limited view can be obtained through an undulated pupil, in which case best results are obtained with the room darkened and the patient looking towards the far corner. The appearance of the optic disc and retinal vasculature are also recorded during fundus examination.
Testing and Surgery of the Eye
Your eyes are of great value and knowing that we provide testing services and surgery. Light waves are bent as they pass through your cornea and lens. If light rays don’t focus perfectly on the back of your eye, you have “refractive error.” Having refractive error may mean you need some form of correction, such as glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery, to see as clearly as possible.
Assessment of your refractive error or refraction helps us determine a lens prescription that will give you the sharpest, most comfortable vision. Refraction assessment may also determine that you don’t need corrective lenses. We may use a computerized refractor to measure the curve of the surface of your eyes and estimate your prescription for glasses or contact lenses or we may use a technique called retinoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor shines a light into your eye and measures the refractive error by evaluating the movement of the light reflected by your retina back through your pupil.
Eye Testing of Children and Surgery
Some parents are surprised to learn that preschool-age children do not need to know their letters in order to undergo certain eye tests, even when they are too young or too shy to verbalize.
• LEA Symbols for young children are similar to regular eye tests using charts with letters, except that special symbols in these tests include an apple, house, square and circle.
• Retinoscopy is a test that involves shining a light into the eye to observe the reflection from the back of the eye (retina).
This test helps eye doctors determine your child’s eyeglass prescription.
• Random Dot Stereopsis testing uses special patterns of dots and 3-D glasses to measure how well your child’s eyes work together as a team.
Glaucoma Testing and Surgery
We offer glaucoma testing along with surgery. Glaucoma is the term applied to a group of eye diseases that gradually result in loss of vision by permanently damaging the optic nerve, the nerve that transmits visual images to the brain. The leading cause of irreversible blindness, glaucoma often produces no symptoms until it is too late and vision loss has begun. There are several forms of laser therapy for glaucoma. Laser iridotomy (see the section above on angle-closure glaucoma) involves making a hole in the colored part of the eye (iris) to allow fluid to drain normally in eyes with narrow or closed angles. Laser trabeculoplasty is a laser procedure performed only in eyes with open angles.
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is an important aspect of our services. An eyelid lift, or blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure to remove skin and to add or remove fat from the eyelids. The term “eyelid lift” is a misconception because the eyelid is not lifted during surgery. Upper blepharoplasty surgery uses incisions on the skin to allow for removal of skin and fat. A thin stitch is then used to bring the skin together to allow for a creation of an eyelid crease. Lower eyelid surgery can involve skin incisions directly below the lash line or an incision on the inside of the eyelid, called a transconjunctival approach. The transconjunctival approach allows for access to the eyelid fat without visible incisions making this technique perfect for patients who need fat removed or added. This approach can be combined with laser resurfacing of the eyelid skin to reduce lines and wrinkles.
Nd: Yag Laser Treatment
Nd:YAG laser treatment is a non-invasive method, which enables the drainage of the extensive premacular subhyaloid hemorrhage into the vitreous, facilitates absorption of blood cells and improves the vision within days by clearance of the obstructed premacular area. There are several reports presenting results of Nd:YAG laser treatment in series of patients with premacular subhyaloid hemorrhage of different etiologies including Valsalva retinopathy, macroaneurysms, retinal vein occlusions, and diabetic retinopathy most of which have limited number of selected cases and a short period of follow-up.
Squint Testing and Surgery
Squint (also known as strabismus) is a condition that arises because of an incorrect balance of the muscles that move the eye, faulty nerve signals to the eye muscles and focusing faults (usually long sight). If these are out of balance, the eye may turn in (converge), turn out (diverge) or sometimes turn up or down, preventing the eyes from working properly together. Squint can occur at any age. A baby can be born with a squint or develop one soon after birth. Around five to eight per cent of children are affected by a squint or a squint-related condition, which means one or two in every group of 30 children. If a child appears to have a squint at any age from six weeks onwards, it is important to seek professional advice quickly. Many children with squints have poor vision in the affected eye. If treatment is needed, the sooner it is started the better the results. Squint can be a complex condition and not every situation is covered here: your optometrist will be pleased to give further advice.