What is optomap® ultra-wide digital retinal imaging?
Optomap gives patients at Montrose Eye Care access to advanced eye imaging technology. The optomap ultra-wide digital imaging system brings your eye exam to life with high-resolution pictures showing details from inside your eye. Dr. Lovero’s expert advice combined with optomap technology helps you make informed decisions about your eye health and overall well-being.
What is your retina?
The retina is a delicate lining at the back of your eye that functions like the film in a camera. Light passes through the lens, strikes the retina, and produces a picture. Then the retina converts the image into nerve signals that are sent to the brain, enabling you to see.
Why is a healthy retina important?
An unhealthy retina can’t send clear signals to your brain, which leads to impaired vision or blindness. Changes in your retina often don’t affect your vision in the early stages. You may not feel any pain if your retina is damaged because the retina doesn’t have nerve endings.
Without a comprehensive eye exam that includes digital retinal imaging, you may not be aware of a developing eye problem. Routine eye exams allow early detection of most retinal conditions and other chronic diseases so Dr. Lovero can treat them successfully.
What chronic diseases are detected with digital retinal imaging?
Your retina is the only place in the body where blood vessels are immediately visible. As Dr. Lovero examines your retina, he can also identify early signs of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and stroke, as they cause changes in blood vessels in your eye.
Which eye conditions are diagnosed with optomap digital retinal imaging?
Using the retinal images produced with optomap technology, Dr. Lovero can show you the structures in your retina, point out problems, and explain treatment options for any eye conditions that may be present. Dr. Lovero can detect many eye conditions with digital retinal imaging, but some of the most common include:
- Diabetic retinopathy: Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar from uncontrolled diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside your retina. It’s a leading cause of blindness, so early treatment to prevent disease progression is essential.
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): The center of your retina, the macula, can become diseased as you age. That interferes with your central vision, making daily activities like driving and reading difficult.
- Glaucoma: Glaucoma develops due to increased eye pressure. Over time, glaucoma damages the optic nerve, leading to vision loss. Symptoms seldom arise as the disease progresses. By the time you notice a change in vision, you already have permanent nerve damage. With digital imaging, Dr. Lovero sees changes before you have symptoms and he can begin treatment to prevent blindness.
What are the benefits of optomap ultra-wide digital retinal imaging?
Examining the retina is challenging. Traditional methods require pupil dilation and even then, only 10-15% of your retina is visible at one time. By comparison, the optomap ultra-wide digital retinal imaging system captures more than 80% of your retina in one panoramic image.
Clinical studies have demonstrated the power of optomap as a diagnostic tool. Its ultra-wide view allows Dr. Lovero to detect the earliest sign of disease that appears on your retina.
The high-definition optomap image provides a permanent record that's comparable to future images. That allows Dr. Lovero to identify subtle changes over time.
Will your eyes need to be dilated and does optomap hurt?
Optomap only takes seconds to perform. More than 37 million optomaps performed worldwide demonstrate that it’s not painful and typically doesn’t require dilation. However, in some cases, Dr. Lovero may decide dilation is needed.
How often should you have optomap digital imaging?
Many people benefit from having an optomap every time they have an eye exam. Dr. Lovero will advise you based on your eye health.
Should your children have an optomap eye exam?
Many vision problems begin at an early age, so it’s important for children to receive proper eye care from the time they are infants. Optomap is safe for children, but Dr. Lovero will talk with you about whether he's going to use it during your child’s routine eye exam.
Schedule your appointment with Montrose Eye Care online, and a team member will be in touch with you shortly.
