Advanced Digital
Eye Examinations
Advanced Digital Eye Examinations with 3D OCT Retinal Scan
At Daniels and Wheatcroft Opticians, we offer the very best in clinical eyecare. Our wide range of eyecare services go beyond a simple evaluation of your general eye health and need for a prescription. We also check for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, ocular damage from high blood pressure using the latest diagnostic technology. This latest technology available include the 3D OCT scan (Optical Coherence Tomography)

What is an OCT Eye Scan?
Ocular Coherance Tomography is an advanced 3D scan of the back of your eye. Similar to ultrasound, OCT uses light rather than sound waves to illustrates the different layers that make up the back of the eyes (the retina).
The major benefit of this state of the art machine is that it allows our optometrist to see what lies underneath the retina and detect potentially serious eye conditions earlier than a traditional eye examination.
It can spot early signs of:
Macula conditions including Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Glaucoma
Diabetes - by detecting Diabetic Retinopathy
Hypertension


These conditions can lead to serious health problems including partial loss of vision or blindness and often develop without warning and progress with no symptoms. The sooner we detect them, the sooner we can help you treat them.
The OCT examination is completely non-invasive and painless, and we strongly recommend that everyone over the age of 40 or anyone who is having problems has an OCT scan,
Common conditions identified through regular OCT screening include:
Age-related Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration causes the gradual breakdown of the macular (the central portion of the eye).
OCT cannot only identify this condition and its type (there are two types, wet and dry) but also monitor its progress, for example if you are undergoing treatment for such a condition. Unfortunately the risk of developing macular degeneration increases with age, and it is the most common cause of vision loss in individuals over the age of fifty.


Diabetes
Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of visual impairment among adults. Here in the UK, more than two million people have been identified as having diabetes. OCT examination enables early detection, which greatly improves the success rate of treatment.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye. Recent statistics suggest that some form of glaucoma affects around two in every 100 people over the age of 40. The danger with chronic glaucoma is that there is no pain and your eyesight will seem to be unchanged, but your vision is being damaged. An OCT examination will confirm if you are at risk, or indeed what stage of glaucoma you may have.


Macular Holes
A macular hole is a small hole in the macular – the part of the retina which is responsible for our sharp, detailed, central vision. This is the vision we use when we are looking directly at things, when reading, sewing or using a computer. There are many causes of macular holes. One is caused by vitreous detachment, when the vitreous pulls away from the back of the eye and sometimes it does not ‘let go’ and eventually tears the retina, leaving a hole. Extreme exposure to sunlight (for example staring at the sun during an eclipse) can also cause a macular hole to develop.
Vitreous Detachments
Vitreomacular traction can clearly be diagnosed through OCT providing invaluable information about the current relationship between the vitreous and the retinal surface of the eye. As people get older the vitreous jelly that takes up the space in our eyeball can change. It becomes less firm and can move away from the back of the eye towards the centre, in some cases parts do not detach and cause ‘pulling’ of the retinal surface. The danger of a vitreous detachment is that there is no pain and your eyesight will seem unchanged but the back of your eye may be being damaged.
