Optomap Retinal Examination

My inspiration for wanting to become an optometrist was jump-started by my aunt Rosemary. My aunt suffers from dry macular degeneration, and she first started losing her eyesight when I was about five years old. I have always been close to her, and I have seen her vision deteriorate. Today she can see peripherally. I have watched as she lost her driving privileges and was forced into an early retirement. I always viewed my aunt's condition without an appreciation of how lucky I truly was to have normal vision. However, In the summer of 2002 I visited an optometrist for the first time. Since that first visit to the optometrist 13 years ago, my eyesight has drastically deteriorated. I currently have a correction factor of -7.25 in my right eye, and a correction factor of -8.0 in my left eye. My vision has stabilized, but my high correction power, coupled with observing my aunt's macular degeneration, allowed me to understand that the gift of vision may not be an everlasting gift. I want to do my best to help people make the best of what may not be an enduring attribute of their lives.

This morning began with a lecture by Nathan Pelsor of the Tally Eye Institute. Nathan spoke about careers in eye care. According to Nathan, there are three main professions in the eye care field. The first of the three is an Optician. This is the individual who fits glasses and contacts on to patients. The next career is an Optometrist. Optometrists are the eye care professionals who conduct eye exams and write prescriptions. The final profession that Nathan talked about was an Opthamologist. Opthamologists are the eye care professionals that complete complex eye surgeries and examine patients. Optometrists and Ophthalmologists not only can receive general practice degrees, but can also specialise in fields such as Ocular Disease Treatment and Primary Care. Nathan concluded his presentation by sharing a few pictures of eye issues that have been treated in the Tally Eye Institute.

Optometrists were one of the few professions, which the Crown Report suggested for independent prescribing. The report stated “Optometrists’ expertise relating to the eye and visual system, coupled with the use of specialised diagnostic instruments, is the basis of the care they provide in the community, including domiciliary visits. Having established a diagnosis, prescribing would allow them to provide effective treatment for emergency eye conditions and non-sight-threatening eye conditions” (Review of Prescribing, Supply and Administration of Medicines, Department of Health 1999). The report suggested that optometrists are very well prepared and placed for non-sight threating conditions as they have the appropriate skills and specialised equipment.

Visual acuity is a screening procedure that is concentrated on the diagnosis of an illness and measures visual acuity. This procedure is often done by the medical assistant in a well-light area or room. “The medical assistant should observe the patient to look for any condition or behavior that could possibly indicate visual distance, such as tilting the head forward or to the side, excessive blinking or eyes watering, frowning or puckering the face, closing of one’s eyes when testing both of the eyes and signs of straining to see. Common devices used to measure distant vision is a Snellen chart. This chart will show the distance an individual can read the chart from. For an individual with reading troubles a chart with letter E’s arranged

This test helps measure the severity of central vision loss. Another exam is the Fluorescein angiogram which according to the National Eye Institute, is done by an ophthalmologist, and requires a fluorescent dye to be injected into the arm. As the dye flows through the blood stream, pictures of the eye are taken, allowing the doctor to see the presence of bleeding or leaking blood vessels at the back of the eye. The final eye exam that doctors may perform in their quest to rule out macular degeneration, is the optical coherence tomography. Kierstan Boyd explains the working of this exam in her article “What is Optical coherence tomography?” as “a non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina...” (Boyd, K., Oct, 2015). This exam takes scans of the retina and gauges the thickness of each layer in an attempt to account for a degenerative presence or

Can you imagine having a diagnosis of being nearsighted when you are truly farsighted? Verbal and written information of patient’s diagnosis, how they can avoid worsening their condition or even help improve their condition, can be presented at this time. Once this process is complete, the optometrist may release the patient back to the optometry assistant or if the patient choses, the dispensary. Again, correct identification of the patient is still necessary to answer and provide any additional information to the patient. If the patient decides to patronize the dispensary, he may need training on how to install and care for contact lenses or how to care for glasses. Either way, both can be accomplished by demonstration, imitation, pamphlets, brochures, or instructional video.

Eye tests usually consist of visual acuity test, which includes Snellen chart reading ( (you are supposed to read letters of different sizes, from largest in the top to smallest in the bottom line). Afterwards, more profound tests are performed, so that problem’s severity can be thoroughly observed. In accordance with results, corrective lenses will be prescribed. During eye testing, optometrist will be evaluating all three aspects of your

Dr. Patricia E. Bath is a medical physician and innovator in the field of ophthalmology. She introduced a new technique and device, known as the Laserphaco Probe, which is used in cataract surgery. With this device, Dr. Bath is capable of removing the cataracts from an infected eye and replacing it with an artificial cornea. Thus making it possible for Dr. Bath to restore vision to even patients that had been blind for many years. Her goal has dedicated her life to preventing and treating visual impairments, because she believed that sight was not a privilege, but a right for all human beings. By creating the Laserphaco Probe and the technique to use it, Dr. Bath contributed a less invasive and more precise method for removing cataracts and

The human eye is arguably one of the greatest innovations in nature. The eye is used to visibly see objects and their surroundings. Human eyes are tuned to see the visible spectrum of light. This is in the wavelength ranges of 38010-9 meters to 75010-9 meters (Young 1054). But, as with anything, the eye is prone to defects and problems. An understanding behind the structure of the eye helps to understand the most common defect with eyes, myopia and hyperopia. Luckily both of these defects are able to be corrected with the use of corrective lenses.

This was a one-time optometric experience. I was able to gain first-hand knowledge and experience in the field of optometry by observing an optometrist work in a retail setting. I observed how pre-eye examinations are conducted using an autorefractor and non-contact tonometer (air puff test). An autorefractor determines the patient's initial prescription. A non-contact tonometer is a glaucoma test which measures the pressure inside of the eyes. I observed how visual acuity tests are performed to measure the eye's ability to see an in-focus image at a certain distance. I observed how refraction tests are conducted using a phoropter to measure an individual's refractive error and determine their eyeglass prescription. I observed how a slit lamp

On examination, vision is 20/20 bilaterally. Intraocular pressure is 16 to the right and 18 to the left. Dilation has been provided on this visit with tropicamide 1%/phenylephrine 2.5%.

Before any eye intervention is carried out, an eye exam must be undertaken by a vision specialist such as an optician, ophthalmologist or optometrist. The eye exam will allow the examiner to determine, diagnose and treat the real cause of the eye problem. Test subjects are often asked to read a chart containing letters and words of different sizes to ascertain the acuity of their sight. Once the test is complete, a special gizmo is often used to prescribe the best glass or contact lenses in order to enhance vision.

There is no shortage of new diagnostic technology at optometry’s disposal. It seems every month a new device is available to enhance our practice and patient care. And with each new device, we will have to ask the same questions: Will it pay for itself? How much does it cost? Can I afford it? Let's face it, the last thing any of us needs is a piece of equipment sitting idle in the corner collecting dust, and along with it our simmering anger at the fact we're paying through the nose for that white elephant.

The patient’s demonstrated good field of vision by matching the examiner’s field of vision with the confrontation test. She states not currently taking any medications for her eyes. She states no surgical history related to her eyes. There is currently no related laboratory data.

Medical histories are also checked out in order to find out that whether your eyes have got any existing troubles or not. If your eye condition is week from the very beginning, then in that case conjunctivitis can be quite dreadful as disastrous results might occur. If you have weak retina or high power, then infectious elements can make your eye condition more critical and this is the reason medical histories need to be judged properly. Slit-lamp microscope is generally used by the eye specialists so that eye examinations can be conducted with great care and higher accuracy.