Maestro 3D OCT

We are proud to be one of the few optometric offices to offer this advanced technology to our patients.

What is an OCT?

OCT stands for Optical Coherence Tomography. It is a non-invasive (radiation-free) retinal imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina.

This layer-by-layer investigation assists in early detection and more accurate diagnosis of sight threatening eye conditions such as retinal diseases, detachments, holes, retinal thinning, optic nerve disease such as glaucoma, precancerous lesions, macular degeneration, diabetic retinal changes, and retinal toxicity due to medications.

These scans give our optometrist a more detailed view of the back of the eye. OCT is now a necessary tool in assessment and diagnosis as well as progression analysis of Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration, among other conditions, since it can measure the thickness of individual layers of the retina in microns.

Difference between a Retinal Photo and OCT?

A retinal photo is an en face or front view of the main structures of the back of the eye, including: retina, optic nerve, macula, and blood vessels. It is a colour photo that can be used by the optometrist to assess/screen for any sight threatening conditions as discussed above. It is part of standard care during a routine comprehensive eye examination. This ‘digital record’ of the back of the eye is saved on file and compared at subsequent visits to assess for any changes. If further investigation is required due to a finding on the retinal image, an OCT can be done to determine the type of retinal anomaly and its severity by determining which layer of the retina is impacted and the size. It can also determine if a visible anomaly of the optic nerve observed on the retinal photo/eye examination shows a measurable change on the OCT (e.g. thickening of a specific retinal layer around the optic nerve as measured by the OCT can help diagnose swelling of the optic nerve).

 Zeiss Humphrey Visual Field

-          Is the standard in precise automated visual field testing.

-          It is used to detect the severity level and type of peripheral vision loss from conditions including: Glaucoma (disease of the optic nerve that damages the peripheral vision), Stroke, medication toxicity, and other neurological and vision conditions.

-          Visual field testing is one of the most important tests used in the diagnosis, treatment and progression analysis of Glaucoma.

-          It is also used to test the driving visual field for the purposes of driver’s license renewal as requested by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.