OCT Screening
Safeguard your eye health with OCT screening
The health of your eyes matters to you. It matters to us too, which is why we are offering a new way to check for potentially serious conditions that can affect not only your eyes but your overall well-being.
Using a state-of-the-art 3D Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) camera, currently only available at 6 other locations in Scotland, our optometrist will take both a digital photograph and a three dimensional cross sectional scan of the back of your eye in one sitting. This allows us to instantly diagnose a number of common conditions. The scan is non-invasive, painless, simple and quick.
What is more, this image will be stored on our computer - so we can monitor for changes to the condition of your retina with every eye test you take. This gives you an invaluable ongoing record of the health and condition of your eyes.
An advanced health check
Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an extremely advanced health check for people of all ages. Very similar to Ultrasound, but OCT uses light rather than sound waves to illustrate the different layers that make up the back of your eye. We also capture a digital photograph of the surface of your eye to cross reference areas of concern. There is an additional charge for our OCT scan, but the benefits are clear. So enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your eyes are in great condition.
Pleasse note: OCT scanning is not available under the NHS and so there is a small charge for this service.
What can the scan check for?
- Vitreous Detachments - Vitreomacular traction can clearly be diagnosed through OCT providing invaluable information as to the current relationship between the vitreous and the retinal surface. As we get older the vitreous, the 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.
- Macular Hole - A Macular Hole is a small hole in the macular, the macula is 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 via the advance of the condition above, as the vitreous pulls away from the back of the eye sometimes it does not 'let go' and eventually tears the retina, leaving a hole. Extreme exposure to sunlight (i.e. staring at an eclipse) can also cause a hole to develop.
- Age Related Macular Degeneration - Macular degeneration causes the gradual breakdown of the macular (the central portion of the eye). OCT can not 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 causes of vision loss in individuals over the age of fifty.
