A Word from Dr. Thomas Henderson
Ophthalmology
is the branch of medicine that deals with the health of the eye and the visual
system. As a physician and a patient,
the more I can see, the better I can understand, the better the solution to a
problem.
Optomap
is a unique, high definition, digital imaging system which combines scanning lasers
with a specially shaped (ellipsoidal) mirror to create a panoramic 200 degree
image of the retina inside the eye. The
effect of the wide field is like sticking your head inside a doorway and
looking at the walls instead of peeking through a keyhole.
Dr.Melanie Prosise often uses the Optomap as a convenience for her patients so
that she can see most of the retina without having to dilate pupils. Dr. Clayton Falknor and I frequently use it
to document the important medical details of a particular abnormality of the
retina. The most common photographs are
of the optic nerve head for glaucoma, the central retina for dry or wet macular degeneration, the whole retina for diabetic retinopathy, a particular pigmented
“freckle”, and other areas of interest.
It is much better to compare detailed photographs after 3 months to
detect change quickly, or after a number of years to prove hoped for stability,
than to rely upon vague descriptions or drawings in the medical record. We will soon receive an upgrade to the
Optomap image management software that will make this even easier.
The
most important use of the Optomap is to improve care by helping me improve my
communication with the patient. For
example, in “wet” macular degeneration, I can describe how a new blood vessel
has formed under the retina near the line of sight, is leaking blood, causing
scar tissue and possible loss of sight.
It is better if I can make a drawing or use a model. It is the by far the best if I can show a
patient a photograph of their eye so they can see the reality of the blood
under their central retina, causing distortion and threatening their
sight. In this way we can understand the
problem better and develop a better plan together—and ultimately have a better
chance for a better result.
The
next time you are in, we might use the Optomap to help provide you with better
eye care.
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