Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The Optomap Makes an Appearance on Dr Oz

In 1990, a 5 year-old boy named Leif went blind in one eye because a retinal detachment was detected too late for treatment. He had eye exams yearly but conventional testing was uncomfortable. His father designed the Optomap in order to make retinal examinations more comfortable and accurate. Recently, Dr Oz featured the Optomap on his show.

At West Georgia Eye Care, we pride ourselves on being able to properly evaluate your eyes with the latest technology available in order to ensure your eyes are healthy and free of disease. A thorough screening of the retina is critical to verify that your eye is healthy. Dilation is the conventional method of examining the retina and is still very useful. With dilation, only 10-15% of the retina can be viewed at one time. In addition, dilation leaves you with light sensitivity and blurred near vision for several hours. The Optomap, on the other hand, is able to capture 80% of the retina in one image. It is quick, painless, and typically does not require dilation drops.

The Optomap is the preferred method of viewing the retina at WGEC. In one snapshot we are able to view the optic nerve, macula, and blood vessels of the back of the eye. The retina is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be viewed directly. So in addition to eye diseases, signs of other diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease can be detected by viewing the retina. Request an appointment today for your complete eye health examination.