By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-05-13 06:57:59 | Word Count: 382
The field of ophthalmology relies heavily on high tech imaging technology in order to provide accurate diagnoses of eye disorders and prescribe the appropriate low vision therapy or corrective surgery procedures. Here are four high tech imaging devices used in ophthalmology today.
The Fundus Camera
A fundus camera (also called a “retinal camera”) is a low power microscope equipped with a miniaturized camera that’s designed to take pictures of the eye’s interior surface, mapping the retina, the optic disc, the macula and the posterior pole. The fundus camera is especially useful to medical professionals when they are monitoring the progression of a disease, as well as during diagnoses and screening procedures. The analysis of fundus camera photographs has been made easier and more efficient in recent decades via the digitization of images.
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Corneal cell counter
This ophthalmological device provides an accurate cell count before and after corneal surgery. Knowing whether or not a patient has a healthy cell count is a key factor in diagnosing and treating certain kinds of eye disease. Modern corneal cell counters provide automatic cell-analysis using advance computer software technology. Doctors can detect the number of sides of each cell and their area, as well as cell density.
Wavefront Aberrometer
This instrument employs wavefront technology to measure aberrations (or errors) of the eye. Specifically, aberrometers measure the refractive power error of the eye by detecting how light travels through the eye. These light trajectories are mapped out using color gradients to show the varying magnitudes of refractive errors. This color coding helps doctors find imperfections and correct them using the appropriate treatment procedures.
Corneal Topograph
A corneal topograph is a device used to three-dimensionally map the surface curvature of the cornea. This is important because the cornea is responsible for over 70% of the eye’s refractive power. Knowing the surface topography of the cornea is thus very important in determining the patient’s quality of vision and possible vision defects. A three-dimensional map of the cornea helps ophthalmologists not only to diagnose a defect but also to accurately plan the refractive eye surgery or laser procedure needed to correct the problem.
