What is OCT?
Ocular Coherence Tomography is an advanced eye scan for people of all ages. Similar to ultrasound, but OCT uses light rather than sound waves to illustrate the different layers that make up the back of the eye.
The OCT unit captures a digital photograph of the surface of the eye at the same time and this can then be cross referenced across any areas of concern.
The major benefit of this state of the art machine is that it allows your optometrist to see both the back of the eye, and also, in a three dimensional image, literally look beneath the surface of the retina.
Never before has it been easier to find out the exact state and location of a particular eye condition. Your optometrist can then review the images on a PC screen and pin point areas of concern by digitally peeling the layers back until they define what it is that they have identified as requiring further investigation. Using this machine, your optometrist can more confidently diagnose, manage and refer you to a specialist for further treatment should this be required.
The images are also stored allowing your optometrist to refer back to them during subsequent eye examinations.
There is an additional charge for the OCT scan, but the benefits are obvious. The RNIB estimate that up to 250,000 people in the UK have undiagnosed glaucoma. When diagnosed this is normally treated simply with daily eye drops. Also with recent innovations in treatment for wet AMD, never has the early detection of macular changes been more paramount. With longer life expectancy, early identification of eye disease with OCT can improve the management and outcome of problems such as glaucoma and AMD.
So you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your eyes are closely monitored on a regular basis, make sure that when booking your next eye test, you ask about an OCT scan.