YOUR EYES are a window to your health. 
Take a closer look with optomap®.

Regular eye exams are vital to maintaining your vision and overall health.  We offer the optomap® as an important part of our eye exams.  The optomap® produces an image that is unique and provides a high resolution 200˚ image in order to ascertain the health of your retina.  This is much wider than a traditional 45˚ image.  
Many eye problems can develop without you knowing.  In fact, you may not even notice any change in your sight.  Fortunately, diseases or damage such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinal tears or detachments, and other health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure can be seen with a thorough exam of the retina.

The inclusion of optomap® as part of a comprehensive eye exam provides:

• An image to show a healthy eye or detect disease;
• A view of the retina, giving your optometrist a more comprehensive view than they can get by other means;
• The opportunity for you to view and discuss the optomap® image of your eye with your optometrist at the time of your exam;
• A permanent record for your file, which allows us to view your images to look for changes.

The optomap® is fast, easy and comfortable for anyone.  The entire imaging process consists of you looking into the device one eye at a time.  The optomap® images are shown immediately on a computer screen so we can review it with you.

What Is Your Retina?

The retina is a delicate lining at the back of the eye similar to film in a camera.  Light strikes the retina through the lens in your eye and produces a picture which is then sent to the brain, enabling you to see.

Why Is A Healthy Retina Important?

An unhealthy retina cannot send clear signals to your brain which can result in impaired vision or blindness.  Most retinal conditions and other diseases can be treated successfully with early detection.
Although you may see clearly, a comprehensive eye exam is essential to check the health of your retinas.  The retina has no nerve endings so you may not feel any pain and therefore be unaware of a potential problem.

Early Detection Is Vital

What Can Happen To The Retina?
Your retina is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be seen directly.  This means, in addition to eye conditions, signs of other diseases (for example, stroke, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes) can be seen in the retina.  Early detection is essential so treatments can be administered.

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR)
​Diabetes affects the eyes and the kidneys and is a leading cause of blindness.  Retinopathy occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside the retina.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
​The centre of the retina (the macula) can become diseased as we get older.  This results in alterations to our fine central vision making daily activities such as driving and reading difficult.

Glaucoma (Increased Eye Pressure)
​Glaucoma causes damage to your optic nerve and almost always develops without symptoms.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Increased pressure can result in changes to blood vessels in the eye, increasing the risk of cardiovacular disease (stroke or heart disease).

Pioneering Technology

How Does Your Optometrist Normally Examine The Retina?
Examining the retina is challenging.  Your optometrist looks through your pupil to examine the back of your eye.  Traditional viewing methods can be effective, but difficult to perform and are carried out manually without any digital record.

How Does The Optomap Help?
The optomap® ultra-wide digital retinal imaging system captures more than 80% of your retina in one panoramic image.  Traditional methods typically reveal only 10-15% of your retina at one time.

The unique optomap® ultra-wide view enhances your optometrist's ability to detect even the earliest signs of disease that appear on your retina.  Seeing most of the retina at once allows your optometrist more time to review your images and educate your about your eye health.  Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the power of optomap® as a diagnostic tool.

How Often Should I Have An Optomap?
Your optometrist will advise you based on your individual circumstances, but the general recommendation is that you have an optomap® every time you have an eye exam.  This will ensure you have a digital record of your retinal health on file which can be compared for changes over time.

Should My Children Have An Optomap® Too?
Many vision problems begin at an early age, so it;s important for children to receive proper eye care from the time they are infants.

Will I Need To Be Dilated And Does It Hurt?
An optomap® takes only seconds to perform, is not painful, and typically does not require dilation.  However, your optometrist many decide dilation is still needed.