What are OCT & Optomap?

About OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography)

OCT is a non-invasive imaging test. Using light waves, OCT is able to scan the back of the eye and provide cross-sectional and 3D views of the retina. Your optometrist is able to see the distinctive layers of the retina, allowing them to map and measure the thickness of each layer. These measurements help with diagnosis and monitoring of many eye diseases, including glaucoma and macular degeneration.

During an OCT exam, you will sit in front of the OCT machine, using a supportive head rest to stay motionless. The machine will then scan your eye without touching it. The scanning only takes about 5-10 minutes and your doctor saves the scan into your chart for future reference.

Scans of the retina from an OCT imaging test

About Optomap

Optomap is an advanced, non-invasive retinal camera that provides a 200° view of the back of the eye. In comparison, other retinal cameras are only able to provide a 45° view of the retina. The ultra-wide field retinal imaging of Optomap allows your doctor to more effectively monitor not just eye health, but whole body health.

The retina (located at the back of the eye) is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be seen directly. Using Optomap, your optometrist can detect early warning signs of many eye conditions and other diseases including stroke, heart disease and diabetes. Signs of these diseases often show in the blood vessels of the retina long before any symptoms are experienced, allowing your doctors to more effectively manage these conditions.

Having an image of your eye taken with Optomap is quick and painless. No part of the machine touches your eye at any time and the image capture takes less than half a second per eye. You will immediately be able to see the image and your doctor will save the image for future reference.