Your retina (located in the back of your eye) is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be seen directly. This means that in addition to eye conditions, signs of other diseases (for example, stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes) can also be seen in the retina. Early signs of these conditions can show on your retina long before you notice any changes to your vision. While eye exams generally include a look at the front of the eye to evaluate health and prescription changes, a thorough screening of the retina is critical to verify that your eye is healthy.
What is an Optomap Image?
Getting an Optomap image is fast, painless, and comfortable. Nothing touches your eye at any time. It is suitable for the whole family. To have the exam, you simply look into the device one eye at a time (like looking through a keyhole) and you will see a flash of light to let you know the image of your retina has been taken.
The image capture takes less than a half-second and they are available immediately for you to see your own retina. You see exactly what your eye care practitioner sees - even in a 3D animation.
Evans & Taylor Eye Care Group performs Optomap ultra-widefield imaging on all patients and is a mandatory part of the eye exam. This is not covered by your insurance, but is essential to your eye health. The cost is $39. There may be occasions where your doctor will still elect to dilate your eyes if needed, but dilation is not normally required for this imaging.
If you have epilepsy or are prone to seizures, please let us know prior to using the Optomap, as there is a flash of light involved.
