Ophthalmic Examination

Screening

1. Glaucoma patients should follow up with the ophthalmologist to check the intraocular pressure every 3-6 months.

2. Diabetic patients should follow up with the ophthalmologist to check the retina every 3-6 months.

3. Parents should visit an ophthalmologist to check their child’s eyes for the early diagnosis of congenital eye diseases if any.

4. There are some symptoms to which you should pay attention and ask an ophthalmologist to see your child:

1. White or yellow pupil

2. Increase in the size of cornea

3. Involuntary eye movement When your child reaches the age of 6 (School age) you have to see an ophthalmologist for ophthalmic examination to discover the refraction errors if any.

Ophthalmic imaging uses electronic light flash which doesn’t cause harm to the patient. The patient may see red shadow and experience blurred vision at the end of the procedure.

There are different types of ophthalmic imaging:

Fundus Imaging: it gives colored images for the internal parts of the eye which includes the retina, optic disc and the retinal blood vessels. This procedure requires dilating drops.

Fluorescein Angiography: it focuses on the retinal blood vessels while injecting Fluorescein Sodium in the patient's arm. The patient may experience nauseafor a short period and the urine color may become light yellow for a period between 24 and 48 hours after the procedure.

Indocyanine green angiography: the Indocyanine greenis injected in the patient's arm. The blood circulation in the choroid located below the retinal blood vessels will be examined. Complication of this procedure is very rare.

Slit Lamp Examination: the anterior parts of the eye such as the iris, lens, cornea and conjunctiva will be examined using flashes of light on the eye.

There is another way of slit lamp examination which is performed by placing a special lens on the eye to see the eye parts. An ointment will be applied on the lens to prevent the lens contact with the eye service. This procedures doesn’t cause pain. The patient may only experience blurred vision for a short period flowing this procedure.

Imaging the External Parts of the Eye: external parts of the eye such as eyelids and other parts of the face related to the patient's condition will be examined by a camera with electronic flashes.

Visual Microscopy: the internal layer of the cornea are examined by a special microscopy. This kind of imaging requires the use of anesthetic eye drops and applying an ointment on the camera's lens to protect the eye. The patient may experience blurred vision for a short period flowing this procedure.