Instagram Facebook-f
Vision Source Eye Center of the Triad Logo
Patient Portal button
Book an Appointment

Technology

OCT

The RTVue-OCT performs a simple yet powerful test which helps doctors identify early signs of eye problems which can lead to irreversible blindness. The test is quick, completely painless and does not touch the eye.

Diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy tend to progress without any symptoms in the early stages. Age is a major risk factor for development of many eye conditions because they typically develop over the course of one’s lifetime. That is why it is vital to be tested for these conditions early with the Rtvue-OCT. The later a disease is discovered, the more difficult it is to treat.

The Rtvue-OCT uses light to image the structures in the back of the eye to help our doctors detect changes in the retina caused by diabetes, macular degeneration and other eye diseases. The information the image provides can affect the doctor’s decision about the need for further testing or treatment. Dr. Koop and Dr. Martinek pair the OCT scanning with the optomap imaging as a part of the comprehensive eye health evaluation.

Why do I need the scans every year?
Our doctors repeat the OCT scans at each annual eye exam so that they can watch for changes over time. With the detail available in these 3D scans, our doctors can manipulate the images to be able to see almost every layer of the eye to watch for thinning of layers, changes in blood vessels, and many other changes that indicate possible ocular disease.Because each individual’s eyes are unique, the most effective way to detect signs of eye disease is to monitor these changes annually.

Optos Optomap

The optomap ultra-wide digital retinal imaging system captures more than 80% of your retina in one panoramic image. Traditional methods typically reveal only 10-12% of your retina at one time. The unique optomap ultra-wide view enhances your eye doctor’s ability to detect even the earliest sign of disease that presents on your retina. Seeing most of the retina at once allows your eye doctor more time to review your images and educate you about your eye health. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the power of optomap as a diagnostic tool. Use of the optomap can also decrease the frequency of dilation in most patients. Dr. Koop and Dr. Martinek pair the optomap imaging with the OCT scanning as a part of the comprehensive eye health evaluation. What kinds of diseases can the optomap help detect?
  • Glaucoma
  • Diabetes
  • Retinal Tears
  • Macular Degeneration
  • Hypertension
  • Some types of cancer

Marco TRS 5100 Refractor

The TRS-5100 replaces the standard refractor and allows the doctor to control the refraction process through a localized keypad. The TRS allows our doctors to program more exact refracting options and provide a faster refraction time. In addition, it gives our doctors the ability to choose between multiple testing options to get the most accurate refraction for every distance

Visioffice

The Machine
The Visioffice is a state-of-the-art optical dispensing machine that allows us to gather more precise measurements required for today’s new lens designs. With this machine, we are now able to record up to 20 measurements in about 1 minute. This increased data allows us to take advantage of the new digital technology available to dispense more accurate and personalized lenses than ever before.

What have we always measured?
  • Pupillary Distance Commonly referred to as the P.D., this is the measurement of distance between a person’s pupils.
  • Seg Height
The height of the multifocal within the lens. For progressive lenses, we are measuring where a person’s pupil sits vertically within the frame. For a Bi-focal, we measure where the bi-focal line will be located.

What additional measurements can we take with the Visioffice?
  • Lens Curvature The amount of curve on the front face of a frame. Higher wrap in a lens can cause distortion along the outside edges in some designs.
  • Pantoscopic Tilt The angle of the frame from the front of the face.
  • Ocular Dominance The tendency to prefer visual input from one eye to the other. A person’s dominant eye tends to reach the object being viewed first when we change gaze direction.
  • Vertex Distance The distance from the back surface of the spectacle lens to the front of the cornea.
  • Head/Eye Ratio The tendency of a person to move one’s head vs one’s eyes when looking at items in different locations.
  • Natural Head Posture The angle of tilt at which a person’s head naturally rests when looking straight ahead.

What do these extra measurements mean to my lenses?
Every aspect of the frame and lens effects the optics of a lens. Since no two people and no two frames have exactly the same measurements, previous lens technology has had to assume an average of all of the above measurements. Now that we can measure each aspect accurately and we have more advanced digital technology to create the lenses, every aspect of the frame and patient’s measurements can be taken into account to tailor lenses to each individual patient and frame. This means less distortion in the outer edges of any lens, less “swim” in progressive lenses, and better clarity in the intermediate and near reading zones of progressive lenses.

What else can the Visioffice do?
  • Product Demonstrations Our Visioffice also has many demonstrations so our patients can see exactly what the products they are purchasing will do before they pay for them. We are now able to show you the difference in weight and thickness of lenses based on different lens materials. We can also show you how different types of coatings will effect your vision at different lighting levels. This means you can make a more educated decision about which products make sense for your lifestyle.
  • Photo/Video for Frame Selection We can also take photos and videos of you in different frames so you can see what you really look like! It’s not always easy to see whether you like a frame without your prescription lenses in them. By taking a photo of you wearing the frames, you can see what you look like. We can also email photos to friends and family members so you can get their opinion right then.

Scout Topographer

Corneal topography is a non-invasive medical imaging technique for mapping the surface curvature of the cornea, the outer structure of the eye. Since the cornea is responsible for about 70% of the eye’s refractive power, its topography is of critical importance in determining the quality of vision. Our Scout Topographer takes 14,000 data point maps of the cornea which can be used to diagnose a number of conditions, plan refractive surgery such as LASIK, and custom design specialty contact lenses including our Wave Corneal Molds.

Fundus Camera

A fundus camera is a specialized low power microscope with an attached camera designed for fundus photography. The machine creates a photograph of the interior surface of the eye, including the retina, optic disc, macula, and posterior pole. These photos are used by our optometrists for monitoring progression of diseases, diagnosis of diseases (combined with other scans and testing) where the photos can be analyzed later. Since fundus photos are a permanent image, our doctors are able to detect small changes in the retina and optic nerve much sooner than without these photos.

Macula Risk: AMD Genetic Testing

AMD, or Age-related Macular Degeneration, is predominantly an inherited disease. Macula Risk is a prognostic DNA test that identifies individuals who have inherited any of the disease-causing genes. These individuals are at increased risk of vision loss as they age.Macula Risk is a laboratory developed test (LDT) to assess the risk of AMD progression from early or intermediate AMD to advanced AMD, a common eye disorder of the elderly that can lead to blindness.

Macula Risk identifies individuals (1 in every 5 patients) that are at highest risk of vision loss due to AMD. Identifying these patients early allows our doctors to implement a disease management strategy focused on sight preservation.

What is AMD?
Age-related macular degeneration, often called AMD or ARMD, is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among Americans who are age 65 and older. Macular degeneration is diagnosed as either dry (non-neovascular) or wet (neovascular). Neovascular refers to growth of new blood vessels in an area, such as the macula, where they are not supposed to be. The dry form is more common than the wet form, with about 85 to 90 percent of AMD patients diagnosed with dry AMD. The wet form of the disease usually leads to more serious vision loss.
One in ten people will lose vision from AMD in their lifetime.

How is AMD treated?
While there is currently no cure for either dry or wet AMD, there are new treatments available to help control and diminish vision loss due to this disease. Our doctors may prescribe a healthy diet, lifestyle changes (such as cessation of smoking and wearing UV protecting eyewear), and supplements to help treat dry AMD.

The key to a successful treatment of wet AMD is early detection. Because most people will not notice a visual disturbance caused by wet AMD until it has progressed significantly, our doctors may recommend follow up visits every 3-6 months dependent on many factors to track any progression of AMD. Our doctors refer patients to retina specialists at the first sign of wet AMD for further treatment.

For wet AMD, treatments aimed at stopping abnormal blood vessel growth include FDA-approved drugs called Lucentis, Eylea, Macugen and Visudyne used with Photodynamic Therapy or PDT. Lucentis has been shown to improve vision in a significant number of people with macular degeneration.

Studies show that patients presenting to retinal specialists with vision loss associated with wet AMD have a poor outcome, with only 50% achieving a meaningful improvement in vision. While, those that present prior to vision loss do much better, with 80% having sustained functional vision. Because of this, it is imperative to monitor this condition closely. The new Macula Risk testing allows our doctors to monitor patients based not only on lifestyle and environmental factors, but also on genetic dispositions.