Retinal Photography
Stereoscopic color retinal photography is frequently used to document the appearance of a retinal abnormality identified during the clinical examination. High quality images can be captured digitally or on color slide film and stored indefinitely by your doctor to be used as a point of reference for future comparison in charting the course of a variety of retinal conditions. They are also often used in conjunction with retinal fluorescein angiography (see below) to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of many medical retinal disorders such as diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, other retinal circulatory disturbances or ocular tumors.
Fluorescein Angiography
Intravenous injection of a fluorescent dye followed by a rapid, timed sequence of retinal photographs provides images of the retinal blood vessels at work. Dye passes first through the arteries, reaching the capillaries next and finally leaving the retinal circulation through the veins. Looking through the timed sequence of photos allows your doctor to draw many conclusions regarding the function of the retinal blood vessels. Of primary importance is the identification of dye leakage from previously normal blood vessels which are now diseased (such as in diabetic retinopathy) or from new abnormal blood vessels (such as in macular degeneration). Angiography serves not only a diagnostic purpose but also is a very important guide to the treatment of many retinal disorders. For example, by first pinpointing the source of leakage photographically, laser treatment can often be used effectively to cauterize the leaking blood vessels in an effort to reduce or eliminate the risk of visual loss posed by the leakage.
Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT)
The physicians of Retina Vitreous Surgeons are proud to announce the first Central New York availability and utilization of three dimensional HD-OCT technology. The OCT is a diagnostic imaging device that provides direct cross sectional images of the retina for objective measurement and subjective clinical evaluation in the detection of retinal diseases and glaucoma. The OCT images and analyzes macular thickness, the retinal nerve fiber layer and the optic disc using the latest technology for high resolution scans. The Optical Coherence Tomographer is a precision instrument that uses an optical measurement known as low-coherence interferometry. The principle is much like that of ultrasound, except that light is used instead of sound. This difference permits measurement of tissue and distance resolved to the scale of ≤ 5 µm, versus the ≈ 200µm resolution with ultrasound. The instrument is crucial in the diagnosis of macular holes, macular edema and retinal traction.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a painless procedure that uses sound waves to produce a clear picture of the retina. With this machine, physicians can see signs of a vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment or choroidal melanoma.
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